


A Scarecrow in the Storm - Part 2

by NoBirdWithintheCage



Series: A Scarecrow in the Storm [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, F/M, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Romantic Friendship, Sassy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-05
Updated: 2015-06-05
Packaged: 2018-04-02 23:21:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 102,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4077640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NoBirdWithintheCage/pseuds/NoBirdWithintheCage
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arashi is now a ninja, but to her dismay she's teamed with the two boys she hated the most as a child. To make matters worse, her sensei is none other than Morino Ibiki, sadist extraordinaire. Follow her story as she comes to terms with being a shinobi, the drama that is her squad, her complicated friendship with Itachi in which lines blur, and her struggle to become a Chuunin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Genin

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place roughly five years after the ending of part 1! Also, yes, I know the title lacks creativity, but blah! I was at odds with what I wanted to call part 2, but I know that I want 3 and 4 to continue under the same title, so this leg in her life retained "A Scarecrow in the Storm" by default. Sorry about this taking so long. For some reason I had terrible writer's block. At the very least it's a sizeable chapter. The next one should be out much quicker. :)

**Genin**

To Arashi, becoming a ninja was just another step in life. For as long as she could remember she had been preparing herself for the day that she would don her hitai-ate and look upon her Genin squad for the first time. There was nothing she wanted more than to be a medical ninja skilled enough to mend the wounds of her comrades and guard the lives of anyone who carried the Will of Fire. Countless nights she stared at her ceiling in bed and wondered who her Sensei would be.

What she had not expected was to be thoroughly pissed off when the day finally came.

Aburame Akio sat on a stool to her left, hunched over like a gargoyle. Like most of his clan, he had an aversion to revealing his body. He wore a gray coat that extended down to his knees that also had a hood he kept pulled over his head. Underneath, he wore a shirt – or at least Arashi _hoped_ he was wearing a shirt – and lastly he covered his bottom half with a blue pair of pants. She was almost surprised that he wore standard sandals since they revealed some skin. Now that he was out of the Academy, he wore his hitai-ate on his forehead.

His face was contorted into a disgruntled scowl and despite his sunglasses; she knew he was glaring at her. She had a hunch that he was sending all of the bad vibes he could generate in her direction. The boy had never recovered from her rampage in the playground.

To her left was Kurama Daisuke on an identical stool. He examined his two teammates with a look of disappointment – _deep_ - _rooted_ , _resentful_ disappointment – before he sniffed in distaste and dropped any attempt to veil his disfavor. Ever since she planted the trap that made his paint explode he had been bitter. She never knew a guy would hold a grudge like Daisuke did. In nature, he was flamboyant, but one would not be able to tell from his choice of clothing. His arms were wrapped in bandages, his shirt was blue, and he wore a pair of tan shorts. He chose to tie his hitai-ate around his neck.

Arashi had grown somewhat in height since she was six, but not much else had changed for her. At age eleven she had not expected much, anyway. She wore a purple tank top, brown shorts, a pair of purple gloves, and brown boots that ended under her knees. Her long hair was kept out of her face by her hitai-ate. In response to her situation, she had her arms folded across her chest and her nose was held up in the air.

In front of them was their sensei. He was a tall man with tanned skin, and dark eyes. His face was marred by several scars. He wore a black trench coat, a gray button-up shirt, gloves, and a bandana-like cloth covered the top of his head.

They were in the interrogation ward and had been there for a while. All of the colors were washed out and even though she could sense people moving through the building like a hive, none had come down the hallway they were seated in. He had said nothing, not even his name. All he had done so far was lead them there and then watch them. There was something about the cold, calculating gaze that bothered Arashi and as time passed she realized that the rest of her team was unnerved by it, as well.

She pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose – her eyesight was a disappointment in her life – and checked the time. She frowned and regarded the man again. It was quiet in the room and every tick of the clock made her feel tenser.

It was like he was weighing their worth as students by just looking at them.

Arashi glanced to her left at Daisuke, to her right at Akio, and then forward at her sensei again. Daisuke would sit in silence until he was spoken to first, because that was just how he functioned when dealing with someone he did not know. Akio was a guy of few words. Short of his bullying stints, few had ever heard him speak more than necessary. The Jounin in front of them appeared to be content with silence.

Arashi, on the other hand, was not. Out of her entire graduating class, she was the most curious. She had a knack for sticking her nose into anything that interested her. Fortunately, her interests were few. Unfortunately, the tall, dark, and not-so-handsome man in front of her had managed to place himself on her interest list.

The man's black eyes settled on her and she held his stare. It was like he was taking her apart and piecing her back together, gauging her stare against his. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, but she knew if she backed down he would acknowledge it. If that happened, he would see it as a sign of weakness and she would rather bite her own finger off than let his first impression of her be that.

Arashi continued to watch him watch her and she focused on his chakra. She could not always decipher a person's emotions from the flow of their essence, but if she was close enough and she focused hard enough, then she could get impressions from a target. This man was pleased. It was not an overwhelming sensation, nor was it the type of pleased that was good, but the type that was tinged with something darker. Her throat tightened.

She was done with this man's silence.

She swallowed over the lump in her throat before she spoke, "Is there a reason why we're in the interrogation ward? Is this where you're usually active?"

The man exhaled a short laugh through his nose, "It's about time one of you started asking questions."

If it was possible, the three Academy graduates frowned deeper than they were before.

"Fresh out of the Academy, going along with a man that hasn't even mentioned his name like you don't have a care in the world. You think you have what it takes to be ninja?" His voice was deep and cold. "Being a shinobi is not just about knowing dangerous techniques, or being the fastest, or the most proficient in weapons. It's about asking the right questions, getting the right information, and holding onto that information in order to use it to its fullest power."

Arashi uncrossed her arms. Akio's attention shifted from her to their sensei.

"Well, if you want questions," Daisuke's amber eyes narrowed in amusement, "Should we exchange names, hobbies, aspirations, or," he leaned forward, "Are you going to stop playing with us and get this test going?"

 _A name would be nice,_ Arashi thought to herself.

"We'll get to my test briefly. I'm a busy man, so I don't plan on dragging this out too long." He replied. "My name is Morino Ibiki. Now, tell me your name, your strength, and your greatest weakness."

The Genin remained quiet.

"Unless you want to go straight back to the Academy now, then you'll start answering." He pointed to Arashi, "You, first."

"My name is Ran Arashi, my strength is ninjutsu, my weakness is, well, uh," she bristled at the last word, "genjutsu."

Ibiki arched an eyebrow. She knew that he had read her file. All of her instructors had tried to push her toward it because of her intelligence and chakra control. Everything should have fit together in theory.

"I'm useless at creating illusions." She explained tensely. "Trust me. I just am."

He crossed his arms and nodded toward Daisuke, "Now, you."

"Kurama Daisuke. I'm a genjutsu type. Been that way my whole life. My weakness? Taijutsu, I guess, but I never planned on being one of those shinobi, honestly."

Ibiki regarded Akio, "Alright. The last one."

"Aburame Akio. My kikaichu and my family's techinques." He shrugged. "My pride."

"Very self-aware of you," Ibiki snorted. "Give me another weakness that isn't a character flaw."

 _Another flaw? He didn't specify, so wouldn't that count? Why isn't he reciprocating with information, anyway?_ She resisted the urge to chew on her lip.

Akio opened his mouth, but Arashi interrupted him, "Does he have to? He gave a weakness that could be way worse than lacking aptitude in a field. Why don't you give us one of your weaknesses and we'll give you another of ours?"

Ibiki took several steps toward her and leaned forward until she could feel his breath, "You want to know my weakness?"

"Uh, yes?" she clutched her seat.

He placed his hands on both of her shoulders. Her entire body tensed. She opened her mouth to protest, but before the words left her tongue he pushed her back, stool screeching across the floor, until her back came into contact with the wall. Akio and Daisuke jumped to their feet, but hesitated. From her peripheral vision she could see Daisuke's mouth opening and closing like he could not believe what was happening. Akio, on the other hand, had a smirk on his face that made her want to slap him.

"Others tried to figure out my weakness, as well." He released one of her shoulders and pulled the bandana off his head. "They never found it."

Arashi's stomach twisted itself into a knot. Not only did he have a couple deep scars on his face, but his scalp was a mass of scar tissue. There were holes drilled into his head that never fully healed, as well as burns, and cuts. It was so severe that hair no longer grew anywhere on his head. Her imagination danced around ideas and images of what the tortures must have been like, until it was hard for her to breathe.

 _Did the burns come first or did they drill into his head as a first priority? Perhaps the burning was a method to cauterize some of the wounds?_ She was not sure, but she could not look away. All that existed was a dark room, shadows of people she did not know, voices that made her skin crawl, and acts of cruelty that went against everything in her nature.

"Hey! Let Shi-Shi-chan go!" Daisuke's voice was distant to her.

Drill. Cut. Burn. Drill. Cut. Burn. Drill. Cut. Burn.

 _Shi-shi-chan?_ She wondered and tried to pull herself away from the trance she was in. _He hasn't called me that in years._

"You drop that genjutsu right now!" His amber eyes flashed in anger and he pulled a kunai from a pouch, "You heard me! She only asked a question!"

Daisuke lunged at their sensei. Ibiki's hand flew from her shoulder and covered both her mouth and nose. His other hand caught the boy's wrist and he twisted it behind the Genin's back without releasing Arashi. She started to grab one of her own kunai, but he slammed her head against the wall. It dazed her enough that she dropped the weapon and it clattered uselessly on the floor.

She could not breathe. Dots were forming in her vision and her senses were raging.

A droning buzz filled the air. Ibiki released Arashi, twisted Daisuke's other arm behind his back and turned to use him as a shield. The girl snatched her weapon off the ground and stepped behind Akio. The Aburame was covered in bugs and dozens had taken flight.

The only thing that kept the insects from going after the Jounin was the kunai that was pressed against Daisuke's throat.

Arashi felt the damage done to the back of her head with her right hand and frowned. She was bleeding and there was a sizeable knot, but that was the least of their problems. Their psychotic Sensei had one of them as a hostage.

She struggled to remain calm. Akio was tense, like a rubber-band stretched too thin and it was only a matter of time before he would snap. She had been in stressful situations before, but a person's life really was on the line on those occasions. Her father had taken her under his wing as an apprentice of sorts after Minato and Kushina had died. If working in a hospital and holding a person's life in her hands had taught her anything, it was to not panic. Panic meant failure and failure meant death.

 _Besides,_ she thought, _He's playing this up, but he's not going to kill any of us. Right?_

She released a breath she did not realize she had been holding, "Let him go. Your movement is limited with a hostage and you're facing two opponents." She held her hand out and waved toward the swarm, "And if these get a hold of you, it's trouble. I mean, they might not be the nastiest stuff the Aburame have up their, uhh, _sleeves_ , but they'll suck you dry."

"Make a move and he will die." Ibiki replied and pressed the blade against his neck until a dot of blood appeared.

"No, you won't kill him." Arashi was proud that her voice did not waiver. "You won't kill any of us."

As a show of how unconcerned she was, she focused her chakra to her hand until it glowed green and closed the gash on the back of her head. In reality her heart was drumming against her ribs so hard that it was hard for her to breathe.

"Look, I know you're using our weaknesses against us," Daisuke ground out through his teeth. "But, this test totally sucks. Either fail us or pass us already."

"If you fail then you will probably never become Genin. Making the cut is hard for anyone and I'm a particularly strict man." He replied. "What would you do then with your lives? A little girl who dreamed so long to become a kunoichi that she doesn't know anything else? A boy that direly wants to follow in his deceased father's footprints at any cost? A member of the Aburame clan that just couldn't cut it? If you don't make it today, you're as good as nothing."

Arashi watched a fit of raw emotion flicker across Daisuke's face, but it was quickly replaced by annoyance.

 _Deceased?_ She remembered seeing his father walk him to the Academy when they were six. _When did he..?_

The bugs surrounding Akio began to fly around more erratically as his irritation flared.

"I have a proposition. How much do your aspirations mean to you? Do they mean more than one of the members of your newly formed team?" Ibiki continued.

For the second time that evening, Akio spoke, "What kind of proposition?"

"I'll take two of you as a student and the third I'll send back to the Academy. It's up to the three of you to decide who passes and who fails."

"No way!" Arashi huffed. "We are put into groups of three for a reason. To lose a teammate would defeat the purpose!"

"Well," Ibiki chuckled. "Seems like she's volunteering herself."

Her heart dislodged itself and fell into her stomach. Her chance at being a ninja was now riding on the mercies of two boys that hated her. The memory of tearing Akio's hair out flashed in front of her eyes, just as the sound of Daisuke screaming over his paint echoed in her ears. She would never forget how effeminate it sounded, nor would she forget Kakashi's hand wrapped around her own after the ordeal.

 _Kakashi._ She had not spoken to him in five years. The thought made her sad.

Arashi blinked and disregarded her momentary melancholy. The truth was that she was _screwed._

Daisuke exchanged a look with Akio. It was like they were coming to a joint decision in those seconds. Arashi's heart dislodged itself from her stomach and fell to her knee. These guys had no reason to want her on their team – not that they cared for each other, either, but at least they had no old grudges between them – whereas she had went out of her way to snub them. She was going to be a useful medic ninja, feared and loved by all someday, after all. Now it was seemingly up to them whether or not she even was going to make Genin.

The irony made her want to swallow her own tongue.

"Um, nah." Daisuke finally decided. "She might be a spoiled, girly, snobbish twat, but no."

Arashi glared at him.

"Member swaps are up to Hokage-sama." Akio murmured. "I'd take anyone else, but this is what I'm assigned to."

Arashi glared at both of her teammates, "I'm not exactly enthused about being with you guys, either."

"Well," he smirked, "I'm almost surprised to see the three of you sticking up for each other. From the way you were acting I thought you'd happily throw each other to the wolves. Despite your own agendas, you choose to stay together and support each other? Those are values I respect."

Ibiki laughed and an expression of amusement lit up his face. That was something Arashi did not think was possible. He released Daisuke and shoved him toward his teammates. She pulled him behind Akio where she dabbed the blood away from his neck and mended the wound, even though she wanted to let him bleed for a while because of his comments.

"Alright, sit back down." The Jounin ordered.

The three Academy graduates grabbed the stools and sat, but this time they were closer to each other and their general aura of distaste was now directed at the man in front of them. Ibiki returned his bandana to its place and leaned against the wall. An amused smirk was still on his lips as he looked at the disgruntled children.

His eyes settled on Daisuke, "The genjutsu user was the first to attack, but he used a _kunai_ at close range instead of opting for a long ranged attack? All for your _Shi-Shi-chan_?"

"It wasn't right for you to man handle her." The boy sniffed and looked away.

"Because Arashi's a girl? You know in this world that gender means nothing. Men, women, the old, or the young; none of it matters. We fight, we die."

"Look, I don't give a snot about chicks from different countries. They can take a dive off a cliff for all I care, but I get worked up when I see someone abuse a girl from my village, alright? Am I not supposed to care about these people? I mean, I'm probably gonna die for them."

Ibiki snorted, "Well, then, how about your aspirations."

"I want to serve this place." He shrugged. "Like my parents."

"A patriot, then?" Ibiki's eyes shifted over to Akio, "What about you? What exactly is your aspiration?"

"To make my family proud and to have a purpose, Sensei," Akio replied.

"And you, girl, what is your reason?"

She frowned, "Bu-"

"If you try to bargain with me, I'll knock your head against the wall again."

She leaned back and her fingers tightened around the kunai she had yet to put away, "Uh, err, I want to help people in any way I can."

He went back to watching them. Any and every movement they made was noted. Arashi started to chew on her lip, but stopped when she realized what she was doing. Fidgeting in front of this man was hard to not do. Daisuke's hand twitched – it usually did when he wanted to draw or paint. It was a coping mechanism for him. Akio was once again perched like a gargoyle and seemed impassive.

After what seemed like an eternity, he spoke, "I suppose I'll take you all on, but remember, from this day on you're no longer who you were. You're soldiers now and your lives belong to this hidden village." He walked over to a door and opened it, "Now, I'd like to show you a little of what I do. I'm a very busy man and I'd like you to understand what it is that takes up so much of my time."

"But, wait, what kind of test was that?" Daisuke jumped off his stool. "I mean, you roughed us up a little and asked us a couple questions."

For fear of having her head bashed against a wall, Arashi opted to remain quiet.

"Unlike the other Sensei, I don't need elaborate tests to get inside the heads of children." He explained. "While most take their students to a training ground and have a sparring match with them, I hardly think that is a suitable test. If you weren't physically capable, then you would not have made it out of the Academy. Now, shut up, and come on."

When he stepped inside, the three Genin looked at each other and sneered.

Daisuke's eyes settled on the kunai in Arashi's hand, "Aww! Shi-Shi-chan, it's touching that you were ready to help me out, but that blade doesn't look blunted and we all know that if your mommy hadn't insisted, then you'd have no fingers by now."

She opened her mouth to protest with something along the lines of not being inept, but nothing suitable came to mind. Perhaps it was the stress of dealing with Ibiki, but she felt like she was in a mental fog. She crossed her arms, huffed, and looked away instead.

Akio snickered and followed after their sensei. Arashi wanted to crawl under a rock and die. Her heart fell from her knee and stopped at her ankle. She had passed, but now she was on a team with her two least favorite people.

_So. Not. Fair._

* * *

When Ibiki dismissed their team, she could not get away fast enough. It turned out that her Sensei was head of the ANBU's interrogation squad, which entailed torture. For the past hour he went through a plethora of tools – things that she wanted nowhere near her body in any way – and referred to them as child's play.

 _Child's play,_ she huffed. _Such a freak._

A crow flew by her face and landed on a clothes line above her head. She tilted her head back and grinned. It cocked its head to the side and looked down at her. Although many people viewed crows as being a bad omen or as an unclean bird, she liked them. When she thought of them, she always thought of what she read about their family system. They mated for life and often times their offspring would stay around and help rear the next batch of chicks. Crows were intelligent, loyal, misunderstood and she liked them.

Most of all, the sight of one made her think of onigiri and juice.

It ruffled its feathers and cawed at her several times before it took flight and circled her. The street she was on was mostly empty, but the few people that were passing by gave the girl and the bird an odd look. Even though it looked strange, it was not out of the ordinary to see birds of all sorts in Konoha and they were often delivering messages.

"Alright, alright, I get it." She murmured. "I'll follow you. Now go on."

The crow led her to a traditional café and parted paths with her. Near the entrance stood Arashi's oldest friend, watching her with a curve to his lips. He had grown somewhat in height, and his expressive eyes had taken on a more passive set. The tear duct lines beside his nose had deepened and elongated an inch or so, but at the age of ten he was still youthful and appeared far too young to be a chuunin. His black hair was tied back and he was wearing casual attire that many members of the Uchiha clan wore.

Arashi never quite understood their obsession with off the wall collars on their shirts – they looked awful to her – but it made it easier to spot an Uchiha, so she figured that was likely one of the reasons behind it. They were a proud clan, after all.

"Arashi-chan." He greeted.

"Itachi-kun, you never eat dinner at home, do you?"

* * *

"The Hokage has gone senile."

Itachi arched an eyebrow and swallowed his food, "He seemed well earlier today."

"Trust me. It's official. He's lost it."

"Oh?"

"He teamed me with Akio and Daisuke." She rested her face in her hands and groaned. "I mean, really!"

"Ahh," he breathed, "I see. The boys you attacked after we met."

" _Attacked?_ Please!" She lifted her head and glowered at him. "Little, manipulative, five year old you totally put me up to it. Besides, they deserved more than what they got."

"Is that so?" Both of his eyebrows rose. "I'm a pacifist."

"Mhm. Be that way, Uchiha-san." She huffed. "I just don't know how this is going to work out. Our teacher in the Academy made sure we never worked together during anything because of how much we hated each other."

Itachi hummed in acknowledgement while chewing on some cabbage.

"To beat it all, our new Sensei bashed my head against the wall and smothered me. I think he passed us just because he liked how miserable we were together."

"In time your squad will find its niche." He replied before taking another bite.

"You're starving aren't you?"

He swallowed the mouthful of rice without chewing, "Sorry. I spent most of today training."

"So," she picked at her own food, "You're going to go through with enrolling with ANBU?"

"Yes."

"Is that what you want to do?"

"It would please my father and it would help strengthen bonds between my clan and Konoha." He replied, matter-of-factly.

"I see." She frowned. "It's what your dad wants."

"I don't mind." He grinned. "You have nothing to worry about."

"As long as you're happy."

They lapsed into silence. Arashi picked at her food, but her appetite was off on an adventure somewhere else. Itachi, on the other hand, was working through his food like he had not eaten in days, but he still managed to seem refined and disciplined as he did so. He seemed much older than his age, even to her. When she looked at him, she saw the next head of the Uchiha clan. She never could keep up with him, no matter how hard she tried. He really was the type of prodigy that only comes around once every generation.

She knew his father spent much of his time grooming him into a shinobi and a future leader. The sheer amount of responsibility that was pushed at the boy made her uncomfortable. Her parents were loving to say the least, sometimes to a fault. Every time she met Fugaku he was stern and distant. It gave her the impression that it was a cold household, but she tried to counter that thought. Mikoto was a warm person, even if she was quiet. That was likely where Itachi got his caring streak from.

She sighed.

Despite everything, her friend was concerned about his clan and Konoha, whereas she was whining about her team. When she compared herself to this boy, she felt very selfish.

_No reason I ended up on such a screwed up team. Akio always got whatever he wanted by being a bully, Daisuke would lie and act all charming, and here I am totally selfish and—_

"Wait a second!" Her eyes widened and she sat straight up, "We're assigned to Ibiki because the Hokage and our teachers thought we were all selfish, manipulative _brats_!"

Itachi looked at her over his cup of tea and swallowed.

"We were so bad in the Academy that they put us under someone that tortures people." Her face was pale. "Like, did they think no one else would take us on as students? Or is this their way of getting back at us?"

Itachi put his cup down and laughed to himself, quietly. He turned his face to the side, but she could see one of his eyes still locked on her. He was laughing at her.

"Oh, I get it. Go on. Laugh at me." She huffed. "That's probably the only reason you still talk to me, huh? Entertainment!"

Any annoyance that she might have felt before was ushered out. Even though she had been friends with him for years, out-right laughter from him was something she had only heard a handful of times before. All of those times his laughter was directed at her, as well. It made his signature blaze and in seconds she was back to digging at her food. She was friends with a gentle flame that was very special. There was no doubt in her mind that he would go on to do amazing things in his life. Being near him helped her look at things more logically and that made her happy.

Once Itachi was finished with his meal, he stood, "I've already paid for everything."

"What? Oh, seriously, you shouldn't have."

He reached across the table and flicked her nose.

She jerked back and covered the stinging area, "I _hate_ it when you do that!"

"Congratulations on becoming a Genin, Arashi-chan." He smiled.

"Thanks." She rubbed her nose. "For the food and everything, too."

"You should go home and let your family know. They'll be happy for you and I'm sure they want to know how everything went."

"Yeah," she winked at him, "And I'm sure Sasuke wants to badger you about playing and training, huh?"

"He's a good little brother."

With that, he left.

_Well, tomorrow I go on my first mission. Crazy._


	2. An Old Client and a Young Uzumaki

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Arashi goes on her first mission and is given a unique weapon to wield until the task is done. Later, she comes face to face with none other than Uzumaki Naruto.

**Chapter 2**

Arashi glared, blearily, at her alarm as it blared at her from across the room.

"Arashi-chan, sweetie, it's time for you to get up! Your first mission is today!" Naomi's sing-song voice called through the closed door.

"Trust me, mom, I know!" Arashi grumbled.

"Breakfast will be ready after you're dressed."

The kunoichi untangled herself from her blanket and sheet and shuffled to her closet. Her room was sizeable compared to most living spaces in Konoha. Her parents were wealthy after years of dedicated working and had purchased a large home in hopes of having a big family. To their dismay, they struggled to have children and thus they adopted Arashi. They promptly spoiled her and gave her the second nicest room in the house.

There was a bookshelf packed full of books, scrolls, and documents beside her door, a bed, a floor length mirror in the corner, a chest of drawers, and two nightstands. There was a walk-in closet and beside the mirror was a door that led into her personal bathroom.

She turned her alarm off, got dressed, applied some lotion to her face as well as a gloss to her lips, and stared at her room. The amalgamation of yellows, greens, and purples did nothing to jog her memory, so she closed her eyes and tried to think.

_What should I pack for my first mission?_

She strapped on a medical pouch, a kunai pouch, and she pulled a dusty shuriken holster from underneath her bed to strap on. Arashi was not overly fond of using weapons, which had vexed every instructor at the Academy until they saw red, but it was the truth. She knew how to use them, but she was not particularly skilled.

Daisuke's comment about blunted blades being the only reason she still had fingers was probably true.

Arashi pushed her glasses up her nose and made her bed before she left the room. She was not a morning person, but there was no escaping it until she was probably a Chuunin at least. She closed the door behind her and turned down the hall and ambled toward the staircase. She could hear her family bantering downstairs and a pang of fondness brought a more cheerful bounce to her step.

She skipped the last two stairs and headed directly to the kitchen. Her mother was already washing dishes while her father looked over a scroll. She opened her mouth to greet her family, but a ball of brown hair and energy rammed into her.

" _Kazika!"_ She squealed, but managed to regain her balance.

"Sis! Sis!" He chanted. "Ninja! Ninja! I wanna be a ninja!"

Kazika was her brother. He was three years old. When her mother announced her surprise pregnancy, Arashi had been furious. The girl had begged relentlessly for her parents to adopt Naruto, but her pleas had fallen on deaf ears. She later realized that Kushina and Minato's son had been placed in a foster home for close watching in order to protect him from anyone making a rash decision because of the Kyuubi, but at the time she was blinded by outrage. In fact, she had been such a brat that her mother broke down in tears.

_"_ _What happened to my angel?"_ Her mother had wept. _"You were so good for Kushina when she was pregnant!"_

It was a sobering experience for Arashi. There were no more tantrums from the girl. Instead, she went out of her way to be more thoughtful.

"You're too young to be a ninja, Kazika." She dragged the boy back to his seat at the table.

Ookami stood and embraced his daughter, "My little kunoichi. Growing up on me."

"This is just the first step, Dad." She hugged him back.

"Oh, I know, but try not to grow up too fast." He pulled back and held her by the shoulders. "Also, I expect to still see you at the hospital, even if it's not as often. Being a medical ninja takes dedication and as you grow with skill, I'll be able to show you some tricks that will save lives, alright?"

"Oh, daddy," She beamed, "I'm always going to be your second shadow."

Ookami's chest swelled with pride. Naomi chuckled to herself. That man had been wrapped around her finger since the day he met her.

"Eat some breakfast before your mission!" Her mother called over her shoulder. "What would your team think of you if you fainted from low sugar or something? Mhm, you'd be the joke of the team, now wouldn't you?"

The middle aged woman turned to set her eyes on the Genin. Her lips pursed and her eyebrows knit together. Arashi knew that expression all too well. It was the one her mother got when she had a _feeling_ that something was going to happen. While most mothers were paranoid about many things, Naomi rarely fussed over anything, but when she did it was uncanny. Naomi did not have worries, she had premonitions.

At least, that was what her family and friends decided.

Arashi snatched up a piece of toast and chewed on it, even though she was not hungry that morning. Her mother would sooner follow her through the streets and nag her to eat than let her go without breakfast. It was endearing and annoying at the same time.

"Look! Sis! Look! Look!" Kazika chirped.

She looked down to see the boy blowing snot bubbles in her direction. He was a spitting image of his father, but in smaller proportions. Some people would have found it hilarious to see Ookami, disciplined and reserved, as he watched his son make snot bubbles – especially when he continued to scan the scroll as the bubbles burst in audible pops.

Pop, pop. Pop, pop.

"Just eww, Kazika. Don't do that." She cringed and walked out of the kitchen, but the child followed her popping all the way. "Time and a place, kid, and for this stuff it's nowhere and never."

Pop, pop, pop.

"Stop following me," she hissed.

Pop, pop, pop.

"Seriously, just stop or I'll sit on you."

Their eyes narrowed and they stared each other down. Her hands twitched in anticipation.

Pop.

She grabbed a tissue and pinned him to the ground in a rush of movement.

" _Mommy!_ " the boy shrieked.

She smothered his pleas for help and wiped the snot off his face. He tried to fight, but she was done before he could get loose. With a look of disgust she stood and disposed of the tissue. She had spent enough time working in the village's hospital to desensitize herself to bodily fluids mostly, but that did not mean she would ever not hate it.

"Well, I'm going, love you all!" She called and ran out.

* * *

Arashi watched the wind tease at Ibiki's trench coat. He marched ahead of her with his lips set into a serious line. Then again, he appeared to be serious in nature, so she decided that was normal for him. To her right was Akio and to her left was Daisuke. She was not sure why they chose to walk that way. She would have preferred if they kept a little more distance from her, but there was a pulse of comfort from their presence despite her distaste for them. This was new to her, as it was to them.

"We are going to treat every mission like it is top priority." Ibiki broke the squad's silence. "Every group has their share of D rank missions to work through. Most kids don't see them for what they can be, but I won't have a single one of you be as inept at taking advantage of opportunities."

"Yes, Sensei." Arashi and Daisuke chorused together.

Akio grunted and nodded.

Arashi knew that D ranked missions were chores and not much else. Her parents sometimes hired Genin squads to do housecleaning or to help around her mother's business during busy months. The elderly used Genin for all sorts of grunt work. Now it was her squad's turn for the dreaded grind.

"Sensei, what are we doing first today?" She mustered the nerve to ask – looking from him to a wall nearby and back.

"Helping an elderly woman with her garden and a few chores." He replied. "And I'd better not see any slacking. Work together, don't fight, and don't mess anything up."

Daisuke snorted and asked, "What's the old broad's name?"

"Chiharo."

"Anything important we should know about her?" The boy pressed, but his tone had a sickeningly sweet undercurrent. "I should be asking, right? _Top priority_? This is a learning exercise, after all."

"Retired Jounin. Loves her cats and her plants more than she cares for people. Apparently someone's been vandalizing her property."

"Alright. So, is she going to direct us once we arrive?" Arashi piped up.

"When she tells you to jump," Ibiki's tone betrayed the smirk on his face. "Just do it."

"What if we don't jump high _enough_?" Arashi asked, unable to resist. "How will I know how high to jump?"

"Sounds like we need to review how to handle high stress situations! All of our Academy training has prepared us for this!" Daisuke joined in.

"I see." Ibiki chuckled, "After this I might take you back to the interrogation ward and show you what it's like to have some of those tools used on your body. I thought I'd hold it off until you were more experienced, but perhaps not."

Their mouths snapped shut.

* * *

Their destination was on the outskirts of the village. A small house stood away from the others with an impressive garden surrounding it. An old woman sat outside on a bench in front of a pond, throwing food to the mouths of gaping fish. An orange cat sat by her left and a black cat sat by her right.

Ibiki stopped by the pond and his squad gathered behind him. She peered up at them and harrumphed. Her face was lined with wrinkles and her dark eyes spoke of a lifetime of trials. She looked to be around sixty years of age. She wore a long dress, an apron, and dirt encrusted gloves. The cats were both unimpressed by the ninjas in front of them, so they continued to watch the fish.

"Team Ibiki reporting."

"About time." The woman stood. "I've got something for your cute little kids to do."

The man nodded and she led them to another part of her garden. Various patches of herbs had been destroyed and garbage was scattered around.

"Some little brat keeps messing with my garden." She pointed at the damage. "I've confronted him, but my hip isn't what it used to be and he manages to get away every time."

Wordlessly, Akio began to gather the trash together. Daisuke shifted from one foot to the other and joined him. Ibiki crossed his arms and looked around at the scene.

"Why would he do something like this?" Arashi mumbled.

"Because he's a git with no brains." The woman seethed. "And I want you kids to track him down and rough him up a bit. Let him know Granny Chiharo means business."

"Uh, how old is he?" Her eyebrows rose in disbelief. "Are we going to have the Police Force on us?"

If there was a chance – even if it was slim – that she would be facing down with Uchiha Fugaku then Arashi would have thrown her hands up and walked away. Itachi was her friend, Mikoto was sweet, Sasuke was a cute boy, but Fugaku was another case. She did not dislike him, but she was put off by him for a few different reasons. She respected him for saving her life when she was six and for the work his squad performed daily in Konoha, but she had the distinct feeling he did not like her. At all.

"Don't worry your pretty little head, sweetie." Chiharo waved her off. "I don't want you to hurt him. Just scuff him up a bit. If he doesn't learn from that, then I'll hire Chuunin. If the message doesn't get through his skull after that, then I'll just put a hit out on him."

All three Genin stared at her.

"Oh, don't look at me that way. You kids have a ways to go! Why, back in my day you'd have already been seasoned killers."

Daisuke and Akio looked toward Ibiki for some form of reassurance but found none.

"The boy's name is Kyo. He's about fifteen, I think." She walked over to the side of her house and snatched up a broom before returning. "I want you to do a good job for me, alright sweetie? Keep them boys in line, that's a kunoichi's special responsibility. Boys take a while to acclimate, so you gotta keep them on their toes, alright?"

If Arashi's eyebrows rose any higher they would have ripped off her face.

"Oh, and I want you to hit him with this." She handed the broom to Arashi.

"Um, what?"

"Now, you hit him real good, alright? If he doesn't get it then I'll have to have him cut into pieces to feed to my fish."

* * *

Once the squad was away from Chiharo's house, the Genin stared at each other in shock.

Ibiki set an eye on them and they went still, "We're going to make sure that kid doesn't set food on her property again."

Akio cleared his throat, "We're going to kill him?"

Arashi and Daisuke fidgeted.

"I look forward to when your brains are done developing." He spoke dryly, "Come here and I'll tell you my plan."

* * *

Arashi followed Akio from rooftop to rooftop. Daisuke was close behind her, but his attention was preoccupied with the sketch book braced in his left arm. He glanced up to make sure he was on course as he added the last touches to his project. She could hardly imagine doing genjutsu normally, but Daisuke used his paintings and drawings as a medium and that was beyond her. Ibiki was right beside the kunoichi. His presence made her anxious, but she tried to not show it. She felt awkward enough as it was.

In her hand was the broom.

"Do I really have to hit this person with her broom, Sensei?" Arashi whispered.

"It's what our client wants." He replied and an amused smirk pulled at his lips. "Her mind has slipped in recent years."

She sighed in defeat.

Akio motioned for them to be quiet and they came to a stop on top of a building. He dropped into a crouch and pointed to the alley beside them. The insects they had been following returned to his hand and crept inside his sleeve.

Ibiki motioned for everyone to move into position.

Their target, Kyo, kicked a can between the two buildings. He was a civilian without a job and nothing better to do with his time that day. With a sigh he turned to walk out of the alley, but came face to face with Akio.

"Stop messing with Chiharo's garden." He pulled his sunglasses off and bugs swarmed out of the sockets and across his eyes.

The fifteen year old paled and turned to run – there were not many civilians that had the stomach to deal with the Aburame – but he did not get far. Daisuke dropped down and cut off his escape. He held up the sketch and quickly performed several hand-seals. Kyo's eyes widened and his course changed drastically. He tripped and staggered a time or two, but the amber eyed boy let him pass by him without any more resistance.

His attempted escape led him to Arashi.

She frowned. She could feel that his chakra was over-ridden by Daisuke's genjutsu and that only made her feel worse for what she was about to do. Despite being older than her, she knew he could not defend himself against her even if he was in his right mind.

" _Arashi_!" Ibiki's called down at her, his tone enough to scold her.

She blinked and swung the broom with all of her might.

A crack resounded through the alley and the wooden shaft splintered apart. The force knocked the boy on his back and broke him out of the illusions plaguing him. His eyes opened and closed and he jerked his head around to look at the shinobi standing around him.

"Aw. You broke the broom. I was just thinking you looked all lovely and domestic." Daisuke leaned forward and teased.

Akio laughed. It was high pitched and broken by several snorts. Arashi might have found this funny if it was not at her expense.

"I hate both of you."

Ibiki looked down at the boy and deadpanned, "Good job. I'll stay and have a chat with our vandal while you report to Chiharo." His eyes settled on the broom and he sighed, "You've broken her favorite broom, though, and with how unstable she's been…"

_She's going to feed me to her fish over a broom._

Their return to the house was quiet. Arashi held the broken broom in her hands and resisted the urge to chew on her lips. If she could not manage to break that habit, then she would not have any left by the time she was a Chuunin.

When Chiharo came into sight, the girl's throat tightened. It was like she was a six year old girl that just broke someone's heirloom. She turned to walk away, but her retreat was foiled.

Akio and Daisuke shoved her forward and she came face to face with the psychotic, senile client.

"I, uhh, I didn't mean to break it." She thrust the two pieces toward Chiharo. "I hit him real good!"

The old woman cackled until she had to bend over and brace her sides.

* * *

To Arashi's horror, the rest of the missions were somehow worse. They walked dogs, cleaned houses, picked up trash in the streets, got groceries as two different missions, and ended it all with a quick run down from Ibiki. They were to meet again the next day for personal training with him before they did a couple more missions.

In all honesty she would rather be on his bad side in an interrogation than do any more missions like the ones they just finished.

_These missions don't even pay well,_ she whined internally.

She cut through a copse of trees and took a deep breath. At the very least she had the rest of the evening and part of the morning to prepare herself mentally for the tedious onslaught. If someone had told her as a new Academy student that she would be dreading "ninja work" this way, then she would have called them a liar.

_Some important medic ninja I am._ She scoffed to herself. _Seriously what kind of-_

She was jerked out of her thoughts by the sound of children yelling. Her thoughts jumped to the worst, but she wheeled them in and ran toward the source. When she got there she saw something that she would never forget.

There were four boys standing around a smaller child. Their ages ranged from approximately six to eight. They all kicked him relentlessly while he shielded his face, but she knew who it was. She would never be unable to recognize this child. She had memorized his signature when he was still in his mother's womb. It was like the wind on a sunny day, but layered deep within was a darkness that scared her if she focused on it.

It was Naruto.

_"You know you'll have to help me look after him when he gets a bit older."_

The fatigue from her busy day was forgotten. She put one foot in front of the other and began to run.

_"Just like a big sister?"_

She pushed one of the boys down and threw another one by his shirt. He landed in a heap on the ground and wailed out in shock. The two younger boys took a step back and stared in disbelief.

_"Just like a big sister."_

The kids scattered and ran.

"Don't you ever touch him again or I'll kill you _, y'know_!" Arashi screeched.

Naruto uncovered his face and stared up at her. At first there was fear in his eyes and then confusion. She went to her knees beside him and he flinched away.

"Shh, Naruto-kun." She whispered in a shaky voice. "Le-let me see you. Did they hurt you?"

His face scrunched up in an expression of distrust.

"Look, I'm not going to hurt you." Arashi assured him and held her hands out. "I'll show you a cool trick my dad taught me to help people."

"A cool trick?" He repeated.

"Yeah. It's pretty cool. Want to see it?"

"Yeah!" He stood and clenched his fists.

"Hold your arms out and let me see."

The boy did as he was told. There were several cuts and bruises covering the limbs, but nothing was severe. For that, she was grateful. What she did not like was how small the boy was. Kazika was not much smaller, but Naruto was two years older than her brother.

"What about the trick?" The boy vibrated with interest.

"Oh, yeah, sorry, Naruto-kun." She laughed, but it was hollow.

She focused her chakra to her hands and mended the injuries on his arms. The boy's mouth fell open and he watched the process with a profound interest that made her feel like she was a legendary sage.

"Whoa! How did you do that?"

"I'm a ninja." She grinned. "It took me years for my dad to teach me that, though. It was hard to learn."

"Will you teach me?" He asked, bright eyed. "I want to be a ninja, too, you know!"

She blinked and pinched his cheek, "Maybe when you're out of the Academy, huh?"

"Really?"

"If you want, Naruto-kun." She stood and captured his hand in her own. "Now, let's get you home before it's dark."

His expression fell as the words left her mouth, "Oh."

"What's wrong? Show me where you live and we can talk on the way."

He tugged her to a walk. She could not get over how much like Minato the boy looked. It was like he was a miniature clone and it tugged at her heart strings in the most bittersweet ways. They walked for a while in silence. He led her to an apartment complex and they stepped inside.

"Will you leave? Or will you play with me for a while?"

"I guess I'll play with you for a bit." She replied. "I'm really tired, though."

He brightened. "Can we play ninja?"

"Sure. Just so long as you don't run me around too much."

"Okay! I just don't want to be alone."

Her grip on his hand loosened, "Why would you be alone? Are your guardians going to be busy tonight or something? Why wouldn't they have someone to take care of you?"

The boy looked at her like he was lost, "They told me I couldn't live with them anymore."

"What?" Her voice cracked.

Naruto's eyes were bright with tears, "It's okay. I'm a big boy and I'm really strong."

It sounded like he was trying to convince himself of it. Arashi had a hard time believing that she heard him correctly, but she knew she did – even if she wanted with everything in her to be wrong.

"My apartment's right here." The boy announced and unlocked the door.

When she stepped inside she cringed. The sink was full of dirty dishes, the bed was unmade – in fact she did not even see a sheet – and there was trash overflowing from the trash can and occupying floor space. Naruto was a five year old child and his guardians had abandoned him to fend for himself.

Arashi wanted to cry.

"It's a bit messy," he scratched his cheek.

"I can see." She tried to sound cheerful.

That the Fourth Hokage and Kushina's son was abandoned and treated like trash was enough to make her want to scream.

"What's your name, big sis?"

"You don't know? I've sent pictures of me and my family with your birthday gifts. Did they never tell you my name?"

He tilted his head to one side and stared at her in confusion.

"Did you," she swallowed over a lump in her throat. "Did they ever give you the gifts I sent for you?"

He shook his head, "No?"

She felt like someone kicked her in the teeth.

"Oh. I-I sent presents for you. A lot." Tears brimmed her eyes, "My name's Ran Arashi."

"Arashi? How do you know my name?"

"I met you when you were too little to remember me. A long time ago." She looked away from him. "You've grown a lot since then. You're a – you're a big boy now compared to then."

"Are you going to hurt me?"

She was mortified, "I would _never_ hurt you."

He stared at her for a while like he was trying to discern whether or not she was telling the truth, "Really?"

"Really. I'd sooner die."

"Can I call you Sis?"

"I'd re-really like that." She whispered.

He grinned from one ear to the other – just like Kushina, "I've always wanted a big sister!"

She went to her knees and hugged him, "You have one now."

"Oh!" He gasped. "Now we can play together all the time!"

She let go of him and stood, "Not all the time, but I'll be sure to spend time with you when I can, alright?"

"You promise?"

"I promise." She looked around. "Now, let's play ninja and get this place cleaned up a bit."

It was easier to get Naruto involved in cleaning than she thought it would be. The child was starved for attention in such a way it made her body ache. He ran from one side of the apartment to the other and his laughter echoed off the walls with enough vitality to help her forget how tired she was. There was something about that boy that made her feel hopeful. She figured it was something to do with who his parents were.

_Now, to see if he has any clothes._ She hummed to herself. _The ones he's wearing right now are filthy._

She dug through his clothes and huffed in disgust. Everything appeared too small or much too big for his body. She made a few calculations in her head and glanced over at the boy as he tried to reach the dishes in the sink, but failed.

"Naruto-kun, would you like to go shopping for clothes with me soon?"

"Yeah!"

"Alright, it's a date." She pulled out a set of pajamas, "Now, get in the shower and into these when you're done."

The boy nodded and ran to the bathroom.

_He's so happy to just have me here._

As soon as she heard the shower turn on, she collapsed on the floor and wept. If she was an adult, she would take him on as her own child in a heartbeat. She hated his guardians with everything in her. If she ever saw them again, she doubted she could restrain herself from taking a swing at them. The next day she was going to go straight to the Hokage and confront him about this.

_I can't just not do anything,_ She wiped tears away from her face. _He deserves so much better. If not for his parents, then for him._

The moment his parents sealed the demon inside him and died he had been cursed to a life of loneliness and solitude. For five years she believed he was cared for and nurtured like any child should be, but the reality of the situation was the opposite.

_"I'll pw-protect you, teach you, and help you with everything."_

From now on she would.

She pulled herself to her feet and went over to the sink to finish the dishes. Naruto was still too short to reach high enough to take care of them without something to stand on. Her plate was already full between working with Ibiki Sensei and her father's insistence that she continue shadowing at the hospital, but she would make a way to take care of this boy.

Naruto was in severe need of food that was not ramen and some clothes that were not orange. At the very least, she could do that, even if she could not give him all the time she wanted to.


	3. Thoughtfulness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Itachi visits Arashi in the night and a couple birthdays are highlighted. Sparks fly, fluff fluffs, and a cute boy gets jealous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've made a change or two to the version posted here. :)

**A Visit in the Night**

Arashi stared up at her ceiling. It had been months since she started paying visits to Naruto. After a meeting with the Hokage decent food was now appearing in Naruto's home – something that made her sigh in relief. With her limited income she doubted she could afford to feed the boy. Buying clothes and a few toys proved to be expensive as it was, but it had to be done.

No guardians had been found that were willing to take the child on, but after another meeting with the Hokage – she was sure the old man hated her by now for her pestering – they had come to an agreement that Naruto would be enrolled in the Academy. That would allow him to socialize with children under the supervision of Chuunin as well as to run some of the energy out of his body. A shinobi would be sent on a regular basis to check on Naruto in the evenings to ensure everything was alright. It still did not placate her completely, but it was a start.

Still no sign of his previous guardians, which was probably a good thing, since she was too young to already be in jail for attempted or successful homicide in a street with numerous witnesses around.

Training with Ibiki proved to be difficult. He pushed chakra control, sparring matches, mind games, and a strict worth ethic onto the squad. The chakra control was not a challenge for her, thanks to her father conditioning her for years to groom her into the medical nin she always wanted to be, but that meant that the Jounin had high expectations for her.

She turned on her side and her eyes fell on a stack of scrolls on her nightstand. They were all pertaining to fuinjutsu. She reached out and ran her fingers across the parchment and a wisp of comfort ran through her. When she was six she never would have believed that she would find comfort in studying something as dry and tedious as sealing jutsu theorems. Then again, she took to the subject like a fish in water.

She was grateful that Kushina discovered a talent that may have stayed hidden for several more years, if not longer.

She turned away and stared at the ceiling again. Sleep was set on evading her that night, even though her body felt like a sack of potatoes.

_Sack of potatoes? Can that even be used to describe how I feel? Ugh._

Nevertheless, it irritated her. Arashi needed to sleep. Her father expected her to accompany him to work with him early the next morning.

The sound of a bird pecking on her window pulled her out of her thoughts. She slid out of bed, turned a lamp on, and moved a curtain to the side. Sure enough, there was a crow and it stared back at her. With a huff, Arashi felt around the area and found that a special flame was right above her window.

Itachi's face appeared above the crow and he gave a polite wave as a greeting.

"Oh, you, uh, I didn't expect you." She whispered and ushered him in.

He climbed through her window and gave her a skeptical look, "I did not wake you, did I?"

"Nope. Can't sleep tonight and it was starting to make me mad." She looked away and pouted. "I mean, I've been running myself ragged and the one night when I could catch up on some rest, my mind's too busy racing to let me. What is that?"

"You've been looking after Naruto?" He asked, but it struck her more like a statement.

"Yeah. Kid's guardians abandoned him and, well, I just couldn't let him be alone. You know, he's younger than Sasuke by a little bit."

"You loved his parents."

She blinked, "Wait, what? You know?"

"Kushina-san was my mother's friend." Itachi explained. "I went with her the morning after Naruto was born to see him in the hospital."

"Oh. I guess that makes sense." Arashi sat on her bed and motioned for him to join her. "So, what's up? Need to talk or something?"

He handed her a small box and sat beside her, "I missed your birthday. Sorry about that."

"Pfft, I missed my birthday, too. Busy, busy. Nothing to apologize for."

She turned the box in her hand. It was wrapped in purple paper with a small bow tied around it. She glanced over at him and grinned in approval. Arashi loved bows and ribbons. After appreciating how well he prepared the gift, she tugged the bow loose and tore the paper off the box.

"Perfume?" She pulled the bottle out and held it up to the light.

"I thought you would like it." He took the bottle from her and sprayed it on her wrist. "What do you think?"

She lifted the wrist to her face and inhaled. It was a light scent that smelled fresh and clean; not overly sweet or powerful. It was nice.

"I love it!" She thrust her wrist out to him.

His fingers closed around her forearm and she shivered as the tip of his nose grazed the inside of her wrist, "It suits you. I'm glad you like it."

Itachi released her and his lips twitched into a reserved smile. She braced her arm against her chest and chewed on her lip.

_How is he always so calm and cool?_

"Well," he glanced at the clock hanging on her wall, "I should get going. I just got back from a mission not long ago."

The word leapt out of her mouth before she could catch it, "Wait."

He arched an eyebrow at her.

"Would you stay and talk to me for a bit? I haven't seen you in a while and, well, I've missed you."

He removed his sandals and sat cross legged on her bed. The lamp beside them casted long shadows across the room and it caused the boy to look more like an apparition than a companion. Arashi cleared her throat and readjusted the light so that she could see Itachi clearly.

He blinked in discomfort as his eyes adjusted to the light, "What is troubling you?"

"Well," she laid on her side across the bed near him, "I feel really stretched thin. Like, with everything in me, I want to be in five different places at the same time. I want to spend time with my family, but I also want to work at the hospital to further my dreams, and then there's Naruto and I feel like I'm doing something wrong when I'm not giving him every spare minute that I have, but I know I just _can't_ do that. Then, there's my team and that's a headache all of its own." She huffed, "And, well, I miss you. We've both been so busy, you know? You've spoiled me to eating at cafes with you and just getting to vent for a while."

He hummed in acknowledgement, "Stop thinking of life as a chain of objectives."

She paused and thought about his words. At times she felt like he was inside her head, but she did not mind. It was a feeling she had gotten used to years before. He surprised not only her with his intuitive nature, but every person he worked with. At a young age, he knew what made a person tick.

"But if I don't do that, I'm afraid I won't reach my goals."

"Don't feel that way." His eyebrows knit together sympathetically. "I am confident you'll reach your goals. Enjoy being a Genin and don't worry so much about the next step. It will come when it's time."

She snorted, "Says the boy who's gunning for ANBU after becoming a Chuunin at ten. When I think of objective driven, I think of you—"

He flicked her nose in response.

She covered her face and rolled away, "Really? _Really?_ "

Another signature flickered outside of her window once, then twice, and then again. It was not the first time she had been near that chakra, so she knew who it was; Uchiha Shisui. His signature flickered again a couple times and she frowned in annoyance. He was trying to get Itachi's attention, but all he was accomplishing was irritating her.

"I guess I want to keep you away from some of the harder paths in life," Itachi admitted.

Arashi peeked up at her friend, "So you want me to stay the same spoiled brat that I was in the Academy? Ribbons and tantrums included?"

He chuckled and tied the bow from the gift around one of her fingers, "I can be selfish."

"Sorry, but I'll have to grow up someday, Itachi-kun." She shook the adorned finger at him.

Shisui flickered outside her window again. Arashi's attention snapped over to the signature and she slid off her bed. Enough was enough.

She pushed her curtains to the side, leaned out and hissed, "Shisui-san, if you don't stop teleporting outside my window I will come out, drag you in by those girly eyelashes of yours and rip every last one of them out of your face! You have no idea how annoying that flickering is!"

Itachi stared at her, aghast.

Shisui teleported inside the room and smirked mischievously at Arashi, "Well, I was trying to not impose on your conversation with my friend, but if you wanted my company you could have asked nicer."

The kunoichi squared her shoulders and threw her chin up, "Hovering outside a girl's window at night and eavesdropping on what she's saying is unacceptable."

"Oh, I see," he glanced over at Itachi with a playfully wounded expression, "I didn't mean to pry into your private time with each other. I didn't peg Itachi the type to go for the sassy, opinionated girls."

Her stance faltered into one of disbelief. The purely platonic friendship she had with Itachi had never been called into question before – he was devoted to his career and she was devoted to hers – anyone that knew them realized this. There would never be anything between the two – or at least she had never thought about anything more than friendship with him.

 _No way is this jerk going to come into my room and make me feel like this!_ She bristled, "Don't worry; you have no reason to worry. I won't be coming between your bromance any time soon, so shove your attempts to embarrass me!"

"Did I strike a nerve?" He asked innocently.

Itachi, who was known for his level headedness and general sense of calm, was staring at them with his mouth slightly open. He looked from Shisui to Arashi and then back to Shisui. At that moment he looked like anything but a seasoned shinobi.

He looked like a boy that had been caught in bed with a girl in the middle of the night by his best friend – that being exactly what happened, except there was nothing untoward involved in their meeting – and the idea that someone thought otherwise mortified him.

The kunoichi poked Shisui in the chest with her finger, "This might be a fun game to you, but coming in and saying stuff like that to two friends isn't cool, alright? If you needed to talk to Itachi, you could have just asked. I mean, it's not like I'm not gonna let the two of you go do whatever it is you Uchiha people do."

The older Uchiha laughed and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. She started to pull away, but he braced her against his side and half dragged her to another corner in the room. He leaned over until his lips almost touched her ear. Arashi wanted to hide under her bed like a startled cat, but she was never the strongest person and the only way she could get away was if Shisui decided to let her go.

"Look, I was just playing with you. You're funny when you're all worked up, Arashi-chan." He whispered. "Besides, I know Itachi. The look on his face right now was worth it."

She glared at him. It was befitting that Shisui was Itachi's best friend. They were two of the most skilled Uchiha, prodigies, and their personalities seemed to balance each other out. Itachi was calm, quiet, and eccentric. Shisui was mischievous, somewhat playful, and more talkative. Both were infuriatingly intelligent and clever. Both of them were also great with genjutsu – why she kept a mental note of who was good with that field specifically only reminded her that she had some hang ups about her own lack of aptitude there – and as such were fascinating in an alien way to her.

_Why are most of the people in my life such a pain?_

"Also, what did you mean by bromance?" Shisui whispered.

She opened her mouth to respond, but the sound of a door opening and closing down the hall made her freeze. She shot a horrified look at both of the Uchiha and Itachi snatched his sandals off the floor.

"Arashi, are you awake?" Ookami's voice called through the door. "Is there someone in there with you?"

The two Uchiha were gone in seconds.

Arashi opened the door and peered up at her father, "Huh? I just can't sleep tonight. It sucks. Can't stop thinking about stuff."

"Oh." He scanned her room and nodded, "Alright. Try to clear your head. An active mind is the worst thing to have when you're trying to sleep."

"Yeah," she faked a yawn. "Well, guess we'd better go to sleep, huh, daddy?"

He smiled and turned to go back to his room.

Arashi closed the door and slid into bed. She turned the lamp off and buried her face in her pillow. That was close. If he had seen those boys in her room, then she would have crawled under a rock and died.

Not even a teenager yet and boys were already visiting her room in the night?

That was not something she wanted to subject her father to. She wanted to ride out _daddy's innocent angel_ for as long as she could. She had things to do, jutsu to learn, skills to hone, experience to gain, and goals to reach.

She caught the fresh scent of her perfume and smiled.

Then again, maybe she could slow down a little. Itachi had never asked her for anything in all of their friendship. For him, she would take her time – instead of running as fast as she could, she would walk some of the distance. She just hoped that someday her friend could slow down and walk with her.

She doubted his devotion to his responsibilities would ever allow that, but she hoped.

* * *

**Back to the Grind**

Arashi sighed and walked inside her father's office in the hospital. Nurses flitted back and forth in the hallway as they went from room to room. The kunoichi wished she had the energy to prance around, but at the moment her feet felt like boulders. While most of the day was left, her morning had been spent training with her squad.

It did not go well.

When they were not on missions the Genin were at each other's throats. Ibiki seemed to enjoy it to an extent, but even the sadist had his limits when it came to their drama. Their behavior earned them an intense, somewhat inhumane routine.

_No pain, no gain, right?_

Ookami looked up from some paperwork and smiled, "Ready to help me make a few rounds?"

"I feel more like a nap," she groaned.

"That can wait until you're home." He stood, "There's a lot of work to be done and you need the experience."

"I know, Dad. I know."

He handed her several files and she followed behind him. She flipped through the documents and got a quick idea of what she would be helping with that day. On the agenda was some preparation work for minor surgeries, outpatient procedures, and one major surgery that she was sure her father would have her observing.

The girl sighed. It was going to be a long day, but at least now she did not have to deal with her squad. On another note, her father had never pushed her harder than she could take. He was sensitive enough to her wellbeing to know when to be strict and when to give a little slack and for that she would always be grateful.

* * *

**A Gift for Itachi**

Arashi swallowed over the nervous lump in her throat and stared down the street at the entrance to the Uchiha compound. In one arm she held a gift. The box was wrapped with gray paper and there was a large, overly-dramatic red bow tied around it.

She was not sure if he even favored gray or red, but she figured it would be alright. He mostly wore gray and red was in his clan's symbol. At the very least it was acceptable.

 _Well, I really don't know all that much about Itachi. Favorite colors are usually one of the first things people share about themselves,_ she thought while she eyed her surroundings.

Arashi shrugged and entered the compound. As she walked, she noticed many sets of eyes following her for a brief moment before they turned back to their own business. A few people nodded or greeted her in friendly tones, but she still felt somehow alienated. Everywhere she looked there were clan symbols, whether it was on clothing or displayed on their architecture.

Despite the estrangement, the signatures of the Uchiha clan were among her favorites. Genetically, they all had a disposition for fire and she could not think of an affinity more suited to their country. There was a darkness that she could sense within many of the clansmen, but she had felt a similar vibe from war veterans. She could not put her finger on what it was. All she knew was that neither Itachi, nor Shisui, nor Sasuke held it within them.

There was an undeniable tension growing between the Uchiha and anyone not in their clan. It was hard to not notice it. Blame had been thrown around after the fox demon tore the village up and she felt that it was unjustified. If anything it was discriminatory and needed to be stopped, but people were people; willful, ignorant, and lacking empathy.

She caught herself chewing on her lip and forced herself to stop.

In her mind, she determined that this was a good day. She could already feel Itachi inside his home and her destination was not far away. It was not the exact day of his birthday, but it was close. Missions had a tendency to steal a person's home-life, especially when those missions were often B ranked in Itachi's case. She was still stuck doing D's until Ibiki was convinced her team had enough sense to handle a higher rank.

His lack of faith in them was the opposite of refreshing.

She pushed those thoughts away from her mind and continued on her trek. When she arrived at Itachi's home, she stopped near the door and took a steadying breath. She was not sure what unnerved her about Itachi's parents, but there was something that did not sit right with her.

It might have been the critical, stern attitude Fugaku had.

It practically wafted off the man, after all. As pathetic as it might have sounded when admitted aloud, Arashi direly wanted him to like her. Because of that, any time she did something that was less than perfect near him it stuck into her like a barb.

Mikoto, on the other hand, made her feel at ease.

"Arashi-chan?"

She blinked, "Huh?"

Sasuke stared up at her with a confused expression on his face, "Why are you staring at my house like that?"

"Erm, yeah, I was distracted. Totally tunnel visioned right there."

"If you say so," He was not convinced.

"It's the truth," Arashi ruffled his hair, "Now, where's your brother? I have to give him a gift."

Sasuke's face lit up like only a child's can, "What is it?"

"Shh," She knelt down until their eyes were level, "I'm going to try to surprise him with it. It's something I hope he'll think is really cool. Don't tell him I'm here. We'll try to sneak up on him."

"He probably already knows you're here." The boy whispered. "He's _my_ big brother, after all."

"Oh, I see, I see." She nodded, "So what should we do?"

His eyes flickered from the box she was holding and then he met her gaze again, "If you tell me what it is I can tell you if my big brother will like it."

He sounded and appeared full heartedly earnest, but she knew better.

She threw her nose up in the air and dramatically shielded her face, "You're trying to manipulate me with those eyes of yours, aren't you?"

Sasuke pouted, "Nu uh."

"Nope, nope! When I was your age I had that stuff down like an art. I am completely immune." She stood, ruffled his hair again and walked around the house. "Tell your brother I need to talk to him."

"He's supposed to play with me today." He called after her. "So hurry!"

"If you keep being so jealous, Sasuke-kun, you'll turn green!"

"That's not possible!"

She stuck her tongue out at him.

The boy stuck his tongue out right back at her and raced inside to find his brother.

One thing Arashi did like about visiting Itachi was how lovely his home was. She stood by the koi pond and giggled as the fish came to the surface and opened their mouths to ask for food.

_You guys are aquatic hogs, you know that?_

A couple minutes passed before Itachi stepped outside and approached her. She turned toward him and held the box out at arm's length. The corners of his lips twitched and he took the gift from her.

"My brother said you had a gift for me." He commented.

"That boy can't keep a secret," she shook her head. "Well, go ahead and open it!"

He sat on the grass and untied the ribbon. Instead of discarding it to the side, he neatly folded the fabric and handed it back to Arashi. She crossed her legs and sat beside him, playing with the ribbon as she waited for his response. He opened the box and pulled out a book.

She cleared her throat and explained, "It's full of information about mythical and legendary items. Mostly weapons, really, but it has a lot of details about their histories and origins. I thought you might like it."

He cracked it open and flipped through the pages, "This is very nice. Thank you."

A crease formed between his eyebrows and his eyes focused on the words written across the pages. It reminded her of the times they met in the library to read and talk.

"If you could find anything in there to use, what would you choose?" She leaned over to see what he was looking at.

His finger settled on a name, "The Sword of Totsuka. The blade of sealing."

"That was quick. I guess you've read this stuff before?"

"Somewhat." He replied. "What about you?"

She pursed her lips, "I dunno. Maybe something like the Yata Mirror."

"The shield that negates all attacks?" He stared at her for a moment and hummed. "It would suit your personality."

She snorted, "You're either calling me vain or a mother hen."

He grinned and flicked her nose, "We can debate which it is at another time."

She shirked back from him to nurse her face. He closed the book, gathered everything together, and stood. She followed his lead and dusted the grass and some dirt off her clothing.

"Dinner is almost ready. Would you like to stay?"

She opened her mouth to accept, but caught a glimpse of Fugaku watching them from the doorway with his arms crossed, "Erm, maybe another time. My mom will be expecting me back and I still need to visit Naruto-kun. Tell your mother I said hi and don't forget to play with Sasuke-kun."

He glanced over at his father and frowned – he saw right through her excuses.

"Arashi-chan," he wrapped his arms around her for a quick hug, "You are very thoughtful."

She closed her eyes and embraced him back, "It's nothing. I hope it has some cool stuff in it that you haven't read a dozen times already."

Fugaku cleared his throat.

She released Itachi and waved at Fugaku, "Have a nice evening, Fugaku-san!"

The father and son frowned and shook their heads as she retreated – each for a different reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For some reason I dislike this chapter.


	4. Uzumaki Naruto

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Arashi trains with her team, celebrates Naruto's birthday, and Naruto is enrolled at the Academy.

**Training**

"This is _awful_."

Arashi looked over at Daisuke and silently agreed with his sentiment. The three Genin were covered in dirt, their clothes were soaked with sweat, and their bodies ached from exertion. She had settled on her knees to catch her breath. Akio was in front of her in a crouch panting as heavily as she was. Daisuke sat to her left with a scowl on his face as he exuded dissatisfaction and frustration.

Their Sensei's lips twitched periodically as if he was having a hard time hiding his amusement.

"Welcome to being a ninja," Ibiki retorted, "Although you may not prefer Taijutsu, it is a skill that you must become efficient in. As soon as an opponent realizes you're long ranged, they will do their best to close that distance. If you don't have a way to defend yourself then you're dead."

"What about evasion?" Daisuke sniffed. "I mean, I've worked hard at being good at staying away from opponents and I'm pretty sure Shi-Shi-chan has, too. I'm dying to learn new techniques."

Ibiki was unmoved, "I'm not here to do what you want. I'm here to teach you all how to be productive soldiers with the hope that you'll live to a ripe age instead of dying young."

Daisuke frowned and crossed his arms, "But, Sensei—"

"You should always have a backup plan for when the one before it falls through." He grunted. "Otherwise, you'll end up dead. Now shut up and catch your breath. We still have a while to go before I'm done with you."

The boy closed his mouth and glared at his feet.

Arashi shifted on her knees and looked around the clearing. There were weapons scattered all about from training with them before they began sparring. The sun had risen and although they were under a group of trees, the heat was persistent.

Ibiki was not the type of man to give them long breaks, either, and she was done with Taijutsu for the day.

She cleared her throat and swallowed some anxiety, "Sensei, while we're, uh, catching our breath, maybe we could focus on something else? I mean, Taijutsu is going to be a life saver for us later, but it would be cool if you taught us some stuff that we could learn only from you. You're our Sensei, after all!"

"None of it would be pleasant for you, girl." He retorted. "What do you think you would like to learn from me?"

"Oh, well," She stammered.

"Profiling." Akio spoke.

Ibiki regarded the Aburame, "You want to learn how to analyze people better?"

"I do." He replied.

_Wait, that's actually pretty cool,_ Arashi perked up. _Good job, Akio._

The Jounin smiled, "Alright. Everyone on their feet and follow me."

"Are we going back to the interrogation ward, Ibiki Sensei?" Daisuke rose to his feet.

He smirked, "No, we'll do something a little more interesting today. Later, we'll go through some case studies of prisoners, but today I feel like being active."

"Oh?" Arashi tilted her head to one side, "Like what are we doing?"

"We're going to crowd watch, pick out a target, and track that target throughout the village. I want each of you to note every detail of what that target does and compile it together. From there, I want you to figure out who the target is as a person."

"So, we're _stalking_." She crinkled her nose.

"It's part of being a ninja. You don't think all you'll be doing is fighting to the death against other ninja, right?" He chuckled and shook his head.

"Well, I really hoped that wasn't what was going to happen with my life," Arashi huffed and crossed her arms. "Don't have to laugh at me."

The man snorted in response and marched off toward the village. She walked by his side while the two other Genin walked behind them. The kunoichi was not sure why, but when she walked behind him she got a mental image of her team clinging to the tail of his trench coat. It made her feel weird.

"Hey, if we're going to be trailing after someone, we shouldn't do it as a group." Daisuke commented. "I'd say we need to drag out some headsets for communication."

Akio grunted in agreement.

"You seem happy about this." Arashi glanced over her shoulder at Daisuke.

Akio grunted in agreement again.

"Hey, it's better than punching each other." He sniffed.

Akio did not grunt in agreement. Arashi and Daisuke looked at him and he shrugged.

_Of course he would enjoy taking swings at us;_ she pursed her lips and looked ahead. _Some things will never change._

They made a quick detour for equipment and before long they were in a crowded area. In order to not look as suspicious, they broke apart and slipped into the groups of people. Arashi scanned everyone around while trying to be casual.

"The woman window shopping; wearing pink. She's our target." Ibiki spoke through the headset. "Stay spread out and don't get noticed."

Arashi made herself familiar with the person's faint chakra signature. Their target was not a shinobi. From where the kunoichi was standing she could tell that the woman was middle aged and a little over weight. She wore expensive jewelry and there was a bag full of recently purchased items on her arm.

_Well, this shouldn't be hard._ She thought to herself.

They trailed her for hours. She went from store to store and stopped at a restaurant to eat. Following her proved to be easy. She was absorbed in her own affairs and paid little attention to anyone else.

When the woman made it to her home, Ibiki called them back to his location. The Genin took a seat on a bench while he stood in front of them with his arms crossed – a pose Arashi was sure he used during interrogations. He looked from Akio, to Arashi, and then to Daisuke.

"What did you figure out?" He broke the silence. "Akio, you go first."

The boy was quiet for a moment, "She's lonely and has expensive tastes. Quiet and kept to herself."

"Alright." He looked over at Arashi, "Now you, girl."

"Middle aged, liked expensive things. She bought clothes that were a little too small for her, I'm sure of it, but she looked at them and held them against her body like they were definitely for her, so I guess she's on a diet or something. She didn't talk to anyone and seemed like she was in a bad mood." She shrugged, "Other than that, the jewelry she had on looked old like it was handed down."

"You're last, Daisuke."

"She had a miscarriage and hasn't told her husband about it." He replied.

Akio and Arashi looked at him like he was crazy.

Ibiki's eyebrows rose, "And how did you come to this?"

"Like what Akio and Arashi noticed, except there was a lot more going on." He shrugged. "She kept touching her stomach and pulling her hand away like it hurt or something, she was looking at clothes that were a little too small for her, she was a bit overweight, and she was out alone. She wasn't happy to be shopping and her eyes kept going over to baby stuff every time she was anywhere near any, but she got this sad look each time. When she went to a restaurant she barely ate anything like she was not hungry and when she went home she stood at the door for a full minute before going in. I'd say she found out she miscarried today, bought some clothes for when she drops the baby weight, wasted some time to build up her nerve, and went home to break the news to her husband."

Their Sensei smiled, "Well, I did not expect you to be the most observant today. Good job."

Akio and Arashi shot daggers at Daisuke with their eyes. Daisuke's chest swelled with pride.

"Now," Ibiki continued, "Let's see what we can derive from everything you noticed and everything _I_ noticed."

Arashi leaned forward on the bench, her interest piqued. This was much better than D rank missions.

* * *

**Happy Birthday, Naruto!**

"Hurry, Sis!" Naruto called at Arashi.

"I'm coming!" She called back. "Don't run so far ahead."

"But it's my birthday! I'm six now! That's big!"

She adjusted a couple bags on her arms and followed after the boy. The bright orange of his clothing made it easy to track him through the groups of people in the market. Many of the people muttered under their breath and moved away from the child, but he paid no attention to their behavior. It made her chest feel tight, but she was glad that they were not openly cruel to him.

The spot of orange ducked into a small shop. She picked up her pace and weaved her way through everyone.

It was Naruto's birthday and by the way he was acting she had a feeling it was the first one he had ever celebrated. She tried to not think about it because every time she did it made her gravitate between being furious to wanting to cry. Her own brother had known nothing but love since he was born – even if he was odd and not the brightest kid. Every child deserved that kind of unconditional love.

Arashi looked up at Minato's face on the monument and sighed. She missed him and Kushina. Being near their child made her think of them and remember them every day. She wished that she could tell him who his parents were, tell him they were heroes, and tell him that they loved him – like how he wanted to be loved – but the Hokage would string her up for that. It was for his protection, but it felt like a crime.

She shrugged and turned to walk into the shop, but before she could enter, a commotion broke out inside. Something fell to the ground and broke and people started yelling.

"Get out of here, you little _monster_!"

Naruto slid out of the store on his back and stopped at her feet. The pair of goggles she bought for him just hours before fell off and clattered on the ground. He looked up at her with a shocked expression and then back at whoever threw him out of the building. She pulled him to his feet and looked inside to see who was responsible.

The shopkeeper came to the doorway and pointed right at Naruto, "You stay out of here, you hear me? I don't want you anywhere near my store!"

Something inside of her snapped, "Excuse me?"

He blinked when he noticed her, "I don't need him in here stealing anything."

"I wasn't stealing!" The six year old screeched at him. "I ain't that way!"

"I'd expect nothing but lies from _you_!" The man bristled.

"Well, what was he stealing?" Her voice was quiet, even to her own ears. "Prove to me he was stealing."

"He was!" The man insisted.

" _What_ was he stealing?" She took a step toward him.

He took a step back, "You're not seriously going to believe him over me, are you?"

She grabbed the collar of his shirt and slammed him against a wall. He started to resist, but his eyes fell on her hitai-ate and he went still. A ninja, even when young, was not someone to mess around with and the shopkeeper knew it. She could see the fear and disbelief in his eyes. He was almost twice her size, but she was in control of the situation.

Ibiki's physical training was the reason – if not for his focus on Taijutsu, then she never would have had the strength to pin this man to the wall.

"Now, let's try this again," She quietly hissed to him, "We both know Naruto wasn't stealing. So, why don't you re-evaluate yourself for a second right now. What possessed you and made you think it was okay to put your hands on a little boy and talk to him that way?"

"He's a demo—"

She slammed him against the wall, "Don't you _ever_ talk to him that way, do you hear me? Don't you _ever_ treat him like he's less, don't you _ever_ call him names, and don't you _ever,"_ she slammed him against the wall once more for good measure, " _ever_ Touch him again!"

"Sis, don't waste your time on him! He's just dumb!" Naruto shouted, "I don't get why these people hate me, but I'm gonna be a ninja and I'm gonna be Hokage someday! That's my dream!"

The man's eyes flickered over to him and then back at her, "I'm sorry! I won't do it again!"

"You'd better not, you know." She whispered. "Because if you ever mistreat him again, I'll find out and then I'll get you back. I'll make you regret it. Every day I'm getting stronger and smarter, so you better not underestimate me, got it?"

He nodded, tensely.

Arashi released him and he slouched in relief. She turned away and smiled back at the little boy. He stood in the doorway and waited for her. His eyes were bright and he grinned from one ear to the other at. The goggles were back on his head, holding his hair out of his face again. She returned to his side and took his hand.

Only then did she realize a small crowd had formed to watch the scene.

She cleared her throat, "Hey, Naruto-kun, let's get out of here. We'll find a better place to celebrate your birthday. This place is too trashy."

"Alright!" He made a face at the shopkeeper.

"Here, get on my back. I'm faster than you are."

Naruto climbed on her back and pointed a finger at everyone around them, "My name's Uzumaki Naruto! Remember it!"

The people stared at them incredulously. Arashi felt a lot like a beast of burden at that moment, but brushed it off and pushed her way through them to get away from the stares. Naruto squeezed her in a hug from behind and rested his face on her shoulder.

Arashi's lips trembled, _I'm becoming Ibiki._

"Hey, Sis, what's with that look on your face?"

"Oh, nothing," She searched for an excuse – one that did not include the fear of growing up to be a sadistic interrogator – and grunted out, "You're just getting so heavy. Must be all that ramen you squirrel away and eat."

"Ramen! Let's go to Ichiraku's!"

"What? Really?"

"Yeah! Yeah! It's my birthday and-and you're like the _best_ big sister, you know!"

"Well," Arashi blushed, "When you put it that way, how could I say no?"

He threw his fist up in the air and cheered.

When they arrived the owner – his name evaded her at the moment – grinned right at the boy. It was a welcomed change compared to how they were stared at earlier. She offered him a quick wave and planted the kid on a seat before she slid onto a stool next to him. Naruto almost vibrated with excitement as he watched his food being prepared. Arashi put her elbows on the bar and rested her chin in her hands.

At the moment, they were the only customers. It was nice to just be the two of them. She did not have to worry about anyone else but the boy.

"Naruto-kun, I'd like to talk to you." She set an eye on him.

"Huh?" He pouted. "What for? I don't like how you sound when you say that."

"Hmm, well, it's nothing bad. I just want to let you know that if anyone's ever mean to you, well, I want you to stand up for yourself. I don't mean take a swing at them or get into a fight, but don't let anyone talk bad to you, okay? And don't believe a word of the bad stuff they try to say."

His pout turned into a determined grin, "Got it!"

"Good."

"But, Sis?"

"Yeah?"

"What if they try to fight with me?"

She thought for a few seconds, "Well, try to be the mature one and settle the fight with words, but if that doesn't work out, do whatever you have to in order to take care of yourself."

"What if they're bigger than me?"

"If they're a guy kick them in the nads."

The boy's look of horror and then his cackle of amusement made her regret the suggestion.

"But only if he's way bigger than you and it's a really serious situation! And if anything happens, you better let me know."

"Okay, umm, and if it's a girl?"

"Hmm, well, when you're a ninja there won't be any difference between a boy and a girl if that person's a ninja. If you have to fight them, then you have to give it your all either way because that person is going to be really dangerous, okay?"

The boy nodded.

"But, if that person is a normal person, like a civilian, that's never had any fighting experience and she's just running her mouth, then you get away from her. Don't ever let anyone hurt you, but don't stick around if you know it's going to lead to trouble."

He pouted and crossed his arms, "Hitting girls ain't right, but I don't want to run from anyone."

"Hey now, running doesn't mean you're losing. Sometimes getting out of a situation means you won. You're more important than getting hurt in a pointless fight. You're important to me, after all."

He leaned over and hugged her arm. His wild blond hair tickled her skin, but she did not mind. She planted a kiss on top of his head.

He pulled away, "Eww, Sis. Don't kiss me like that in public. I'm not a baby."

She snickered, "Yeah, all those six years of yours must be weighing you down."

He poked himself in the chest with a finger, "I'll be Hokage in no time and then I'll make you my advisor or something."

"Oh? Is that a promise? You're giving me your word as a future shinobi?"

"Yeah! I promise! Everything I say is gonna mean a lot then, you know!"

She pinched his cheek, "That means you have to start making everything you say mean something _now_ , alright? If you're going to grow up to be a man that's respected, you need to start being respectable now."

He opened his mouth to ask a question, but a bowl of ramen was placed in front of him. His eyes widened in excitement and he snatched up his chopsticks. The question was forgotten in favor of noodles and broth. The kunoichi grinned to herself and sat up straight when her own bowl of food was ready.

Naruto was too young to know what being Hokage meant, but she would do what she could to help him. Whether he would continue to chase after that dream once he came to understand what it meant or not was up to him, but she would support him either way.

_I wonder what he'll say when he finally learns who his father was._

"Ne, you went quiet, Sis." He commented before lifting more food to his face.

She blocked his chopsticks with her own, "Eat slower, Naruto-kun. I don't want you choking to death before you're even in the Academy."

"Are you going to go with me to the ceremony?"

"Of course! As long as my Sensei is okay with me taking a day off," she faltered. "I'm sure he should, maybe, possibly, be fine with it."

"Who is your Sensei?" He perked up. "What's it like being a ninja?"

She pulled her hand back so he could continue eating, "Shush and eat. I'm just a Genin now, so it's kinda boring, but that's okay. You have to start somewhere small before you go big, right?"

Naruto tore into his food again.

When they were done eating, she carried him on her back through the streets. It was late in the evening and she felt guilty about keeping him out as late as she did, but figured it was alright. For his birthday, Minato and Kushina would understand. Even with the incident earlier, the boy was happier than she had ever seen him.

Naruto handed his key to her after they reached his door and she stepped in. His eyes settled on a couple presents on the floor and he jumped off her back.

"No way! More presents?" He leaped at them.

She laughed and blocked his path, "Hold on. Wait until I tell you who they're from."

"Okay, but hurry!"

"Sit down and be polite."

He sat down cross legged and waited. She could feel the anticipation wafting off him, but took her time as she slid the bags off her arms. They were filled with clothes and toys that he wanted from their shopping trip earlier that day. Arashi knew he would need something nice to wear to the ceremony instead of clothing that was either too big or too small and obviously overly worn, so some of it was formal.

Normally, she would not have let someone pick out their own presents, but she was lost when it came to toys. Kazika was younger than Naruto and their interests were different. When Arashi was his age, she was obsessed with anything medical and anything that involved sealing jutsu, but she had a hunch he was not going to be the same kind of ninja she was. Therefore, she let him pick out his gifts.

"Alright," she pushed one toward him, "This one is from my family. That's me, my mother Naomi, my father Ookami, and my little brother Kazika."

He looked at the present for a moment in reverence before he ripped into it. Inside was a pouch along with a set of kunai. His mouth dropped open and he jumped to his feet with an expression of bliss on his face.

"My own ninja tools!"

He started to reach for one of the blades, but she stopped him.

"Okay, this is where it gets serious. Listen to everything I say about this stuff because it really matters."

He nodded and focused all of his attention on her.

"All of these kunai are blunted." She picked one up and ran a finger along the blade. "But they can still hurt and possibly kill people. You are not to use any of them unless you are training with me or with your Sensei at the Academy, got it?"

"Got it!"

"Here, hold one."

He picked one up and poked at it to see how dull it was, "This is the best present ever!"

"Naruto-kun, even if someone's being mean to you, do not use any of these against them unless you're afraid they're going to kill you, okay?"

He nodded, seriously. He held the kunai against his chest and squatted down to look through the pouch.

"Just remember, even when I was putting that shopkeeper in his place, I didn't use a weapon against him or any jutsu. You're about to be a ninja in training and as ninja we're to protect and help the people in this village. I know not all of them are very nice, but you'll meet people who are going to be your friends and it'll all be worth everything just to keep them safe."

He smiled wistfully, "How many friends do you think I'll make in the Academy?"

"It doesn't matter how many you make as long as they're good ones." She looked toward the other presents, "Don't you want to find out what else you have?"

The boy's eyes lit up again, "Yeah!"

"This one's from me."

He opened it to find a medical kit inside. She pointed out and named all of the different items and told him how to use them if she was not around to help him.

The rest of the presents were geared toward the Academy. Paper, pencils, books, and several different things he would find useful.

She looked at the time and stood, "Alright, let's get this mess cleaned up. It's past your bedtime."

He helped her clean the area up. She knew he would let his apartment slip and turn into a mess on occasion, but with her help he had been doing better about housekeeping. It was natural for a kid to slack when it came to something tedious like cleaning, but she wanted him to have good ethics. It was just hard to instill when she was busy and not around as much as she wanted to be.

"Ne, hey, Sis?"

She stopped what she was doing and looked over at him, "Yeah?"

"Will you stay the night with me? It _is_ my birthday, you know," he looked at his feet.

Arashi chewed on her lip. Her mother and father expected her home and she knew they would worry if she did not come back without letting them know where she was. There was no way for her to inform them if she did not go home and then return, but it was already time for the boy to get in bed. He wanted her company – he did not have anyone else in his life. She sighed.

They would live.

"Sure. Now, get in the shower."

The boy ran to the bathroom with a cheer, "Yeahh!"

Arashi put the clothing away and made sure the bed was ready. After she looked around the apartment and checked inside the refrigerator for any expired food, she sat down and removed her boots. Her normal shorts and shirt were close enough to pajamas to be comfortable to sleep in.

When Naruto was done showering, he leaped into bed with her and snuggled into her side. She ran her fingers through his hair and stared up at the ceiling.

"Thanks, Sis." He murmured.

"It's no problem, Naruto-kun. Happy Birthday."

* * *

**Focus**

Ibiki burned a hole through her face with his beady eyes, "How far away are they now? Focus."

Arashi looked down on the village from their perch on the Hokage Monument. They were seated on Hiruzen's head while Akio and Daisuke traveled through the village. She closed her eyes and focused. She could feel them, but she was not sure where their exact location was.

"Um, Akio is in that direction," she pointed left, "And Daisuke is a little farther this way," she pointed east of the Aburame's location. "They're both moving, but I'm not sure how far they are."

He nodded and unmuted his microphone, "Report your location."

"Three kilometers away at the Yakiniku restaurant." Akio's voice reverberated in her ear.

"Yamanaka Flower Shop." Daisuke responded once it was quiet. "I really have no idea how many kilometers."

Arashi nodded, "Okay."

"Mute your microphones and get moving again." Ibiki ordered them and muted his own.

"I'll get this down, Sensei. I'm starting to get it, but the distances are a bit hard to gauge." She played with the hem of her shirt. "Thanks for helping me train."

"Don't fidget like that. It makes me think you're about to ask me something."

"Well," She laughed, nervously.

"Spit it out."

"Can I have a day off?" she blurted it out. "I wanted to go to the Academy Enrollment Ceremony for Naruto-kun. It means a lot to us."

He smirked, "Is that so?"

"Yeah."

"Well, a day off sounds nice." He commented. "We'll use it as a rest day."

If she was not terrified of him, she would have hugged him, "Thank you, Sensei!"

"Yeah, yeah, now focus on your training."

"Uh, right."

She turned away and faced the village again. The rest of her day was going to be this, but that was alright. Naruto was going to be very happy.

* * *

**Enrollment**

The day of the Ceremony came and Arashi fussed over Naruto the entire morning. He was no longer wearing his orange clothing, but was instead wearing something formal. His blond hair was not as wild as it normally was, thanks to generous amounts of gel and running a come through the mess. His face was clean, his teeth were brushed, and there was not a speck of dirt on him. Even the goggles were staying behind for this event.

"Sis, can we go already?" He whined.

"No whining through the ceremony." She pinched his cheek. "You have to behave and act mature, alright?"

"Yeah, I got it." He muttered and rubbed his cheek.

Arashi made sure they were both ready one last time and then they left. Once they were on the street, she took his hand in her own. He tried to pull away, but he could not get loose.

"Sis, your hand is like the maw of death!" He whined. "I'm not a baby; I can walk on my own. I'm in the Academy now, you know!"

She huffed and let him go, "Well, stay by my side and don't run off. I requested the day off so I could be with you."

He scratched his cheek in embarrassment, "Thanks."

She placed a hand on his shoulder and steered him toward the Academy, "You're not going to get along with everyone, and there will probably be people who are better at stuff than you are, but use them to gauge yourself. Always try to do your best in everything, but don't worry too much if you're not great at certain things."

"Sis, you sound like an old woman, you know."

She glowered down at him, "I'm a delicate flower, thank you very much."

* * *

When they reached the Academy one of the Chuunin ushered Naruto to stand with the other children who were enrolled. Arashi spotted Sasuke right away and waved. The Uchiha boy's eyebrows rose, but he grinned back at her. She did not feel Itachi's signature, but she did feel Fugaku's.

She recognized several of the children as the offspring of clan leaders and that piqued her interest.

_Do they all have a pact for when they're going to have kids or something?_

Arashi filed in among the parents and approached Fugaku. She stopped by his side and offered him a friendly smile. He nodded in greeting, as stern as he always was. In all honesty, she was almost surprised to see him there. He worked as much, if not more than her father – she had come to terms with Ookami being a workaholic years ago, but she noticed when other people shared that addiction.

"Is Itachi-kun on a mission?" She whispered.

"Yes." He replied and his attention settled on her.

"Ah, yeah. Not much else would make him miss something like this. He really loves his little brother. I'm sure you're very proud of both of them."

She actually was _not_ sure of that, but she hoped he was.

Fugaku crossed his arms, "I saw you with Naruto, so I assume you're here for him?"

"Yeah, I've been looking after Naruto-kun."

"I see." His expression softened just a little, but he still retained a distant vibe, "That is very kind of you. It must be hard to divide your time so much between your training and a child."

It was not often that the man spoke to her this much, but it made her feel bubbly and nervous at the same time – even if there was still a hint of haughtiness to his words.

"I'm determined, but it does get to be exhausting. Going between Ibiki Sensei, to medical jutsu on patients, to chasing after Naruto-kun has its perks, though."

He arched one eyebrow at her, as if he was asking her to clarify.

"I fall asleep as soon as my face touches my pillow. Usually, anyway."

She grinned at him and he snorted. He turned a little more toward her, and her back stiffened in anticipation.

_Oh my, he's actually going to have a full conversation with me._

Just as he was about to speak, something caught his attention. He turned away and looked toward the children. She followed his gaze and her stomach dropped.

Naruto and Sasuke were in the middle of a glaring contest.

Fugaku's expression soured. As soon as his son noticed, he stopped throwing nasty looks at the Uzumaki and stared forward. Naruto noticed Arashi mouth "STOP" and he scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.

_Great. Friends: zero. Enemies: Itachi's little brother. Good job, Naruto-kun. Good job._

Arashi lamented. Fugaku was no longer in the mood to talk to her anymore and her chance to get to know her oldest friend's father better had passed. The only thing she did realize from their short banter was that Itachi had, in fact, taken after his father in looks, whereas Sasuke was a male version of Mikoto. For some reason she had never noticed that before.

She shook her head and focused on the ceremony.

This was the first step for Naruto's career as a ninja. It brought back memories of her own experience and how proud her parents had been of her.

_I hope Naruto makes some friends soon. It'll help him out a lot when I'm busy._

Fugaku casually broke her out of her thoughts, "I received an interesting report about a Kunoichi of your description man handling a shopkeeper a while back."

She spluttered, "What? Me? Man handling someone?" She pointed at her arm, "I'm like, skin and bone. How could I bully a grown man?"

He looked down at her and the corner of his mouth tugged into a smirk, "I thought the same thing."

Her mouth fell open and she was not sure whether she should be offended or amused.


	5. Setting Goals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arashi chats with Itachi and later goes on her first C ranked mission.

Arashi picked at her food, absently. Her focus was on a stack of papers beside her plate. Training had been nothing less than intense with her sensei, but she could see where she had reaped benefits. Not only had she advanced in combat knowledge, but she looked at the world and especially people differently. It was a bit like connecting the dots together until finally the full image came together and everything made sense.

There were also certain drawbacks to how much she had thrown herself into training. She did not see much of her family, other than late in the evenings before she collapsed in her bed or early in the mornings as she was leaving. She had barely even seen Naruto since he entered the Academy and the boy had been sure to let her know she needed to fix that.

"What are you studying?"

Arashi jolted and looked up. Itachi stared at her with his eyebrows raised just enough to denote curiosity. As always, they made a point to go to a café of some sort on a semi regular basis to catch up with each other – even if it always ended up with Arashi doing most of the talking and Itachi listening. He was almost finished with his meal, while she had barely touched her own.

"Oh, well, it's more like something I want to study." She replied. "Nature transformation, some other sealing theories, and a medical jutsu my dad showed me – he's always good to give a lot of information with it because it helps to know the jutsu inside and out."

"Nature transformation is advanced," he commented as he lifted his cup to his lips for a drink of tea.

"I know," her shoulders sagged, "and that means more of my life going into bashing my head against a wall until I can claw my way through."

He inclined his head to one side, "Feeling overwhelmed?"

She set an eye on him. She was, in fact, feeling overwhelmed, but the idea of admitting that to him made her feel selfish. He managed to get himself into the ranks of the ANBU – doing the Hokage's dirty work for the country – as well as taking the time to be with his brother and serving his clan. The fact that he was a little younger than her was a dig at her sense of fulfillment, as well, but she would never admit that openly.

Instead, she answered, "I would like to spend more time with the people that matter to me, I guess, but at the same time I want to push myself to see how far I can go and that takes a lot of time."

Itachi hummed in agreement.

"And, you know what?" Arashi continued. "I saw my brother this morning look at me like I was a stranger rummaging through the cabinets in the kitchen! What even is that? I'd rather him cling to my legs and beg me to play with him like you and Sasuke-kun over simply being forgotten."

"Sasuke is very direct and straight forward about what he wants." Itachi shrugged, "Sounds like your brother is developing a more subtle approach to getting your attention."

"Subtle? More like manipulative!"

Itachi rested his chin in a hand and the corner of his mouth quirked up. He looked at her pointedly. If he had been anyone else, she was sure he would have said, _"The pot calling the kettle black!"_

Arashi huffed, "I blame my parents – my mother, specifically."

"I see," Itachi chuckled and then changed the subject, "What will it be, then? Nature transformation or the medical jutsu?"

"What about the sealing theories I mentioned?"

"You have my confidence concerning sealing techniques."

The compliment made her face burn so she dug through the papers by her plate as a form of distraction. People had given her praise about her aptitude in that area before, but she could not remember any other instance of _Itachi_ giving her a compliment. Itachi – a prodigy from a clan known for its talent – had noted her skill in a positive light.

"Well," she cleared her throat, "I guess I'm leaning more toward the healing jutsu. I _am_ a medical ninja, after all, but after I've gotten through that I will focus on broadening my, uh, usefulness."

Itachi reached across the table and pulled the stack of papers away from Arashi. He thumbed through them and his dark eyes scanned across the words. Arashi almost protested, but stopped when he motioned toward her food and pinned her with a brief but intense glance.

"Point taken."

At his young age he had already mastered a look of authority that could rival her father's. Without any more hesitation, she focused on her food. Perhaps Itachi had inherited _something_ from Fugaku, besides aspects of his appearance.

* * *

**Hello, C Ranked Mission, How Do You Do?**

Arashi groaned when her alarm clock went off. She pushed her yellow, floral blanket away from her body and spilled out of her bed. As soon as her feet hit the chilled, wooden floor she regretted the transition. She shuffled over to the clock and turned it off before she turned and wiped at her bleary eyes.

Without a doubt, this was one of the days in which she would have preferred to stay curled up in bed with a book. She had a bookshelf full of books on the wall across from her bed and yet she had not read half of them. It struck her as a shame.

With one last, longing look she turned away from the novels and got herself ready for the day. She was sure to seal several changes of clothes, extra medical supplies, and rations for her mission into scrolls. It was a much more convenient way to pack things for travel.

The stairs creaked in protest as she trotted down them. She hit the ground floor of her parents' home and turned toward the kitchen. Their home was not one of the traditional styles that once comprised the houses of Konoha, which was why she had a fondness for the Uchiha compound. Everything there felt like a trip back into the past. It was charming.

Not to say that her own home was without its own endearing qualities. Her mother kept it well in order, decorated, and clean but it still felt homely.

Arashi took a bite out of a snack and turned around.

Kazika stood on the other side of the kitchen with an indifferent expression on his face.

"What?" Arashi mumbled through her mouthful of food.

The boy stuck his nose up and crossed his arms across his chest, "Mommy says that's rude."

She swallowed.

"Mission?" He shifted from one foot to the other.

"Yeah," she stuffed a couple protein bars into her pack.

"How long?"

"A week?" She shrugged. "I guess it depends on how well it goes."

The boy nodded but tried to keep up his façade of indifference. It struck her now that he had grown quite a bit since she made Genin. He was still round faced and carrying his fair share of baby weight, but there was no doubt that he was her father's son. His personality had taken a turn toward what she assumed hers must have been like at his age – everyone too busy with work to give him attention without him working it out of them. If she had doubted the stories about her at his age, she was inclined to believe them now.

"Why are you so curious now, Kazika?" She tried not to grin at him.

He was quiet for a moment before he suggested with a shrug, "Play with me when you get home?"

"Sure," she ruffled his hair.

As she walked out of the room, she glanced over her shoulder and caught him grinning at her back.

She found her mother waiting at the door for her.

"Did you remember everything?"

"Yes, mom," she wrapped her arms around her for a brief hug.

"Your father is already at the hospital, but he told me to give you his love," her mother whispered before she planted a kiss on Arashi's cheek.

Arashi leaned into the affection, "I'll be alright. It's just a C rank mission. Infiltration and retrieval, according to Ibiki. We have to head over to a nearby town to meet up with our, uh, _employer_ where he'll fill in more details and point us in the right direction."

Her mother's lips drew into a line, but she nodded and stepped aside, "Be safe. Remember that I love you."

"I love you, too. Tell Dad I love him when he gets home this evening."

"I will."

Arashi stepped out and set out toward her Team's meeting spot.

* * *

Arashi walked by Ibiki's side and peered around at their surroundings. Akio walked at the Jounin's other side, while Daisuke walked behind them with a sketchbook in his hands. It was the first time she had left the village since she was taken in by her adoptive father – she honestly did not remember much before that – so it was like her first trip out of Konoha.

She glanced over at her sensei and squinted.

It was strange to see Ibiki out in the open and away from buildings. The sound of birds singing to each other, and the sight of butterflies fluttering around his face was amusing. Not that she expected to never see him out in nature with their group, but all of their time before was spent training in Konoha. He just seemed out of place in his blacks, grays, and stoic expressions.

Daisuke occupied his time sketching the scenery. She sighed to herself.

_It's nice how he can keep himself distracted._

Akio stared ahead without an expression on his face. It was hard to read him since he always wore sunglasses. She could only remember two or three expressions ever being on his face. One was the blank one he had now and the other one or two she filed under his bullying stints.

Arashi looked down at her feet and chewed on her lips. Wearing boots was probably not the best option for the traveling portion of their mission. The sandals that everyone else wore appeared more practical.

In short, her feet hurt. Beyond that, she was bored. She was not in the mood to read while walking. The last thing she wanted was to accidentally trip over a rock and be laughed at by her teammates. That left only one option for her to fall back on.

Speak to her team.

"Ibiki Sensei?" she tugged his sleeve, "Do you have any more information about our mission?"

He peered down at her until she released his coat, "Infiltration and retrieval. Kishi-san was originally willing to hire Chuunin or Jounin, but upon reviewing his situation it was filed under a lower C ranked mission."

"What was stolen, anyway?" Arashi tilted her head to one side.

"A rough draft for his next book."

"So," Arashi raised her eyebrows, "Another author stole it?"

"He believes so," Ibiki nodded.

"Well, that's admittedly strange. I guess there's a heated rivalry there?"

Ibiki snorted and Arashi let out a short laugh.

A while after they fell silent, she ventured to ask, "How much longer do we have to go, anyway?"

"A couple days," he replied.

She groaned, but she was not alone – Daisuke and Akio joined her – whereas Ibiki chuckled at them.

* * *

When they arrived in Kansai, Arashi nearly cheered out loud.

Her feet hurt, she needed a shower, she was beyond bored, the straps of her pack chafed her shoulders, and she was tired of trying to talk to her team. All Daisuke wanted to talk about was how aesthetically pleasing everything was while Akio remained quiet and reserved.

_Ibiki's not much better. Could probably tell us a million ways to interrogate someone, but is lost when it comes to bantering with us kids._

The town was much smaller than Konoha, but she could see why an author would choose it to reside. The streets were busy with people and there were businesses of all sorts all around. The air did not taste quite as clean as she was accustomed to and the lack of trees all around made her feel somehow alienated. She squared her shoulders and brushed the negative feelings away.

She would have to deal with more than just a sleazy town before her career was over.

The chakras of the people were somewhat different than the ones she had grown up near. Most of them were undeniably of the Land of Fire, while some of them felt foreign somehow. None of them stuck out as being ninjas from what she could tell. It made sense that there would be foreigners in the area, though, with the amount of trade the town was probably involved with.

_Some of our Hokages were able to tell the difference between ninjas from different countries, so maybe this is what it's like? Kind of eerie how they're_ different _, though._

The Genin clustered closer together and Arashi almost snorted when she noticed the three of them almost touching each other. Ibiki led the way through the crowds and watched the surroundings like he had done this a million times. The difference between the casual ease of the Jounin and the nervous glances of the Genin was beyond obvious – some of the citizens even pointed and whispered to each other.

_It's like Ibiki's the mother duck and we're ducklings stumbling over our own feet to keep up with him._

It did not take long for Ibiki to lead them down several streets and finally to an apartment complex. They climbed two sets of stairs and went down a hallway where Ibiki knocked on a door and waited. Shuffling could be heard from inside and then the door creaked as if someone leaned against it.

After a moment, a man called out, "Who's there?"

"Team Ibiki, from Konoha," their sensei replied.

The door swung open to reveal a short man with black hair, tanned skin, and dark eyes. He looked out at them with his mouth drawn into a thin line and a frenzied energy about him as he gestured them inside. Ibiki stepped in with the three Genin peering out from behind him. Kishi's apartment was of a decent size, well furnished, and mostly organized – except for a desk that had stacks of papers, books, scrolls, pens, and pencils all over it.

"Hello, everyone. I am Kishi Moto. I need your help getting my work back from a thief that broke into my apartment. The authorities couldn't help me at all here, so I've had to resort to hiring you."

"Who do you think has it now?" Ibiki asked and crossed his arms.

"A competitor," he replied, immediately. "I received a note from someone offering to ransom it back to me, but the price is relatively high and I should not have to pay for something that I wrote with my own hands."

"Did they offer a meet up point?"

"Yes," he turned and shuffled through some papers on his desk before he turned back to Ibki, "I have the letter here."

The Jounin accepted it from him and read over it, "Did you show this to the local authorities?"

"After they failed to find any leads when the initial theft happened, I was scared to involve them in this." Kishi admitted. "I didn't want to lose any hope of getting it back."

"You didn't have any copies anywhere?" Daisuke glanced at the desk.

"I did, but everything concerning it was cleared out."

Arashi pursed her lips in thought and replied, "Well, who do you think it was?"

"An old acquaintance of mine. We both shared the same dream of being novelists. I had more success than he did and our friendship broke down into pettiness like this, but never anything this bad before. I have no proof it was him, but I'm sure that it must have been him."

Ibiki looked over his shoulder at his students and gestured for them to step forward.

"Well, what's his name?" Daisuke was the first to catch onto his queue. "And what details can you give us about him?"

"What about his whereabouts?" Arashi added.

Akio spoke for the first time in hours, "Would he hire bodyguards or leave it in someone else's hands to look after it?"

Ibiki's mouth quirked into a grin of approval before it thinned back into its usual line as he turned to regard their employer.

"His name is Kazu Hiko. He lives across town from here, so not very far away. I wouldn't have thought that he would have hired any thugs until some threw a brick through my window with the ransom note attached. Hiko should know that the rough draft's safety is enough to keep me in line."

"Seems a little pathetic and desperate," Daisuke sniffed.

"Do you think he needs the money?" Arashi asked. "I mean, all of this seems pretty far fetched."

Moto sighed and threw his arms out in frustration, "It is ridiculous, I know. I've lost sleep over this."

All four of the ninja could not disagree with him. He looked terrible. The bags under his eyes were enough to testify for his words.

Ibiki hummed to himself and looked the room over, "I think I have a plan. Since you do not have _proof_ that the one responsible is this Kazu Hiko, we will have to take a few extra steps."

The man went still, "Anything to get this fixed."

"Alright," Ibiki continued, "You are going to pay the ransom, but my team and I will be shadowing you and blending in with the area so that they don't catch onto our presence. After the trade is completed, you go somewhere safe and we will follow the person that met you and get to the bottom of this. We will find whoever is behind this and return with all of your assets."

"That sounds like a good plan," Moto replied, hesitantly. "I just wish I did not have to be involved with any of this. It's going to make me go gray."

Arashi eyed his hairline and deduced that he was already going gray.

"How long until we do this?" Akio asked, impatiently.

"Ahh, I can contact one of the thugs and set up the tradeoff for tomorrow," Moto's shoulders sagged.

* * *

Arashi rolled her shoulders in an attempt to work a knot out of her back. Instead of finding a hotel and everyone getting rooms, Moto had insisted that the team stay in his apartment. Although it was not a very small apartment, it was meant only for one or two people to live in, so they had to sleep on the floor with their sleeping bags. Four nights of sleeping either on the ground or on the floor left Arashi aching. Not even the hot shower she had taken that morning did anything to ease the pains in her joints.

At the moment the four ninja were spread out through the crowd and subtly keeping an eye on Moto. The meeting spot was the most crowded street in the town, during the busiest hour of the day. It made it easier for the transaction to go down without anyone noticing.

Presently Arashi, stood in front of a street vendor and peered over his goods with more than just feigned interest. All of the items were knickknacks and trinkets meant for tourists, but each had an allure about them that kept her interest away from her mission. There was a music box, in particular, that she was eying.

_I'm going to buy that. If I do it fast enough, no one will even notice, and if they do, then it just adds to my cover up. Yeah._

"What are you doing?" Daisuke whispered by her ear.

Arashi squealed and the music box fell out of her hands. The boy caught it and turned it over a few times to examine it. It was nothing fancy, but to her it was delicate. A kunoichi was depicted on the top of the box with a kunai in her hand. He hummed to himself and turned his attention back to her.

"If you're thinking about buying this, let me paint over it once we get back to Konoha. It looks tacky the way it is now."

Arashi glared at him, "I think it's lovely."

"Oh," his eyes widened and he sneered, "Oh, honey."

Before she could retort, another set of hands plucked the trinket away from Daisuke. Her lips thinned into a line as she stared at Akio in a disgruntled manner. She half expected him to break it in order to get a rise out of her.

"Aren't you supposed to be across the street?" Arashi threw her nose up.

"What does it sound like?" He mumbled as he wound it up.

The kunoichi spun around in a circle as a melody played slightly off tune. It sounded terrible. A dying cat would have sounded more pleasing The Aburame's eyebrows rose before he exchanged a look with Daisuke and offered the music box back to Arashi. Her cheeks burned, but she took it from him.

"Waste of Ryo," was Akio's only comment.

"Yeah, well, I like it."

Daisuke shook his head a little, "Leave it to a girl to be shopping instead of focusing on her mission."

Akio grunted.

Thoroughly embarrassed, Arashi almost threw her ryo at the vendor and stashed her music box away, "It's not like you have any business over here, _y'know_!"

"Just checking on our medic, Shi-Shi-chan." Daisuke grinned. "Isn't that what we're supposed to do? Take care of the team medic? You used to always get lost when we were younger."

Akio snorted in amusement.

"You know, I have half a mind to let you guys die if you ever get hurt," Arashi crossed her arms and turned away from them.

Just to see Ibiki standing nearby glaring at them.

The three Genin stared back at him for a full moment before each started to fidget. Arashi smiled at him, nervously, but it looked more like a grimace. The Jounin gestured for them to follow him and they did so without a word.

_We are so getting chewed out for this later._

From the top of a building, they watched Moto walk toward a couple of people that looked like they had lived on the streets their entire life. One looked like he could fight a building and win. He was taller than Ibiki, muscle bound, and did not even bother with wearing a shirt. His skin was riddled with scars from various fights and he had no hair, but nothing else about him was remarkable. The second man was slim, short, and would have had no intimidating factor about him, except his eyes were cold enough to make Arashi uncomfortable even from a distance. The big one had more physical strength, but she could feel that he was the least aggressive out of the two. The smaller one's signature was cold and more hardened – desensitized to what they were doing – whereas the big one felt less at ease and somehow gentler.

_Appearances can be deceiving, I guess._

The short one – Arashi assumed he was the leader of the two since the other appeared a bit more on the dull side – pushed off the wall her was leaning against and met Moto halfway. He exchanged a couple items with the author and nodded curtly. Moto clutched his possessions to his chest and scurried away in the opposite direction.

The two thugs exchanged a laugh between each other and went their own way.

"Now we move on to the interesting part." Ibiki announced.

Their team kept a wary distance from their targets as they followed. It would complicate their plan if the enemy figured out they were being pursued and that was the last thing they needed to deal with. It would push their mission from being a day or two at this rate to being indefinitely longer and not worth the pay. Even if two slipped out of their sight, Arashi would be able to lead them back onto the trail.

Blood pounded in Arashi's ears from excitement. This was more interesting than a D ranked mission and there was something thrilling about spying on people. She glanced over at Akio and found him grinning – a lighthearted grin, not the hard one he used to taunt – and it made her grin in response. He enjoyed this more than he would admit openly. It reminded her that he was as human as she was. Daisuke, on the other hand, was focused and serious. He had his eye on the target and he was absorbed by it.

They followed the two grunts all the way out of the town and to a café. They were sure to stay behind bushes and remain as inconspicuous as possible, but it was undeniable that the thugs were not as concerned as they should have been. It was almost too easy to track them.

"That café must be their meeting point with their employer," Ibiki whispered to his students.

"If we walk in there and start following him, won't it be suspicious?" Arashi whispered back.

"One of us will use the Henge jutsu, go into the café, order food and figure out who the employer is. Once that is determined and he is leaving, the person we send inside will pay for their food, come out and act like he's leaving."

Arashi pursed her lips, "Okay, who's going?"

"I will." Daisuke volunteered.

Ibiki nodded his approval. Once Daisuke was disguised as a different person, he walked to the café. Half an hour passed before a man emerged and started on his way back toward the town with the two grunts following him. A minute after that, Daisuke re-emerged and walked casually over to where his team was hidden.

"He the one?" Ibiki asked as he eyed up the man.

"Unless they gave the ryo to the wrong person," Daisuke shrugged, "and they really like hanging out with him? And they like calling him Kazu Hiko?"

Once again they were on their feet and following at a distance. The excitement that Arashi felt earlier had died down and now she was just anxious for the mission to be completed. They waited until their targets were far enough away from any establishments that no one would hear any commotion.

"Now, we confront them." Ibiki announced.

"Right," Arashi pulled out a kunai.

The Jounin sighed, "Arashi, stay back and offer support. Medic ninjas should not join fights unless absolutely necessary."

"But," Arashi gaped, "I've been waiting days for this."

He pinned her with a look and she wilted away – feeling absolutely _useless._

Daisuke pulled out a couple scrolls and looked over at Akio. Already, Kikaichu were swarming around him in preparation. Arashi put her weapon away and bit down hard on her lip.

_This is not fair._

"I will let you boys handle this. Arashi, give them support if they need it, but they shouldn't need any."

"Right," she sighed. "Got it."

_Be useless._

Akio closed the distance between him and Hiko. His bugs swarmed in the air so loudly that the cries of shock from the two grunts were almost drowned out. Daisuke followed closely behind and turned to flank the three men.

Hiko cried out in shock when Daisuke appeared in front of him to stand between him and the town.

"Defend me! Do what I've paid you to do!"

The first to act was the large one. He ignored the bugs that swarmed across his bare skin and swung one large arm at Akio. The boy side stepped the attack and swiped the grunt across the face with a fist. The giant grunted and threw another punch at Akio, but he ducked beneath it and landed another blow to the man's face.

Behind him, the cold eyed thug pulled out a knife.

"Akio!" Arashi screeched. "Behind you!"

A kunai – courtesy of Daisuke – buried itself in the smaller grunt's shoulder. He dropped his knife and clutched at his wound. Akio twisted and threw his whole body into a kick that connected with the second thug's face. Arashi's mouth fell open as a few teeth flew through the air and the man fell to the ground. She doubted he would be getting up any time soon.

The giant moved to grab Akio and grapple him to the ground, but the Aburame jumped back and well out of his reach. Daisuke whistled and the man looked over at him right as he finished a jutsu.

The shriek that came from the thug did not suit a man his size. He tore at his skin and began to roll across the ground in a vain attempt to get the bugs off of him.

" _Hornets!"_ Hiko shrieked as he cowered on the ground.

_A genjutsu,_ Arashi grimaced.

She had heard Ibki chuckle, she had heard him snort, grunt, taunt, and tease, but she had never heard him laugh like he did at that moment. He held his sides to brace them from the peals of laughter that tore out of him at the sight of the two shrieking men and the third unconscious on the ground.

Arashi covered her face with one palm and shook her head.

It did not take long for the Kikaichu to leave the other two men unconscious on the ground with just enough chakra left to leave them alive. They were not ninjas, after all, and had never worked at honing their charka.

Arashi walked over and helped Daisuke locate the ransom Moto paid for his own project. Hiko was not a remarkable villain. He was plain in appearance and he looked pathetic in his current position.

"Hornets?" Akio mumbled to himself. "Hm."

Daisuke smiled mischievously, "I thought it was a nice touch."

"Well, let's get this back to Moto-san and return to Konoha." Ibiki called over to them.

Moto was elated to have everything returned to him and offered to let their team stay another night. Ibiki politely declined and they stated their journey back to Konoha.

* * *

They were less than a day's travel from Konoha. They were once again among trees and only then did she feel like she could breathe again. It was almost time for them to break camp and finish the last leg of their journey. Akio had excused himself to go out into the trees to relieve himself while Ibiki extinguished their fire and Daisuke started to pack his possessions. She stared at her tacky music box, dejectedly.

_Maybe I should let Daisuke touch it up a bit…_

A cry of pain echoed out through the silence of the trees and shattered the peace.

Arashi jumped to her feet and started running in the direction she heard it come from. She knew from her time in the village's hospital what it sounded like when someone was really injured. Her senses burned and her legs felt weak as she followed her senses toward what she knew was Akio's signature. Ibiki was by her side and Daisuke was behind her.

_There's someone else with him!_

Without a doubt, there was another signature near Akio. She had sensed stronger ones, but still she could tell that this person had received formal training – a shinobi – but it did not feel foreign and it was now retreating.

When they came across Akio, Arashi's stomach lurched.

Akio was crumpled on the ground, clutching his abdomen as blood spilled out between his fingers. She threw herself down by his side, pushed him back, and moved his hands out of the way. She placed her palms on his wound and bit down on her lip.

It was deep and very bad.


	6. The Little Things

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Arashi is far from useless, and Naruto and Kazika meet.

**Improvise**

There were two stab wounds.

Arashi pulled a kunai out of her pouch and sliced through Akio's coat and shirt once - twice - a third time. Ibiki's hands entered her view and pulled the clothing out of the way so that she could reach the wound more easily. It showed her what she already knew.

Akio was bleeding out.

"Plasma pill, medical pouch," Arashi spoke, but her voice sounded far away.

Chakra flowed from her hands and into his body. She closed her eyes and focused on him with every ounce of concentration she could muster. She paid no attention to her sensei as he rummaged through the medical pouch while it was still wrapped around her, nor did she notice Daisuke's ashen complexion as he stared down at his dying companion. There were specks of chakra all through Akio's body from his kikaichu, but she was able to push them from her mind. All that she knew was his chakra pathways and the manner that they coincided with his veins, arteries, and organs.

Ibiki administered the pill to Akio and took a step back.

The wound under her right palm, although deep, was not the immediate threat. The one under her left was the worst. Blood seeped out of the artery with every pulse of his heart. All of the medical knowledge she had been stockpiling her entire life rushed to the front of her mind, but she knew - in a cold, calculated way - that if she tried to mend the artery he would die before it was finished. Healing always took time, even when aided by medical ninjutsu.

She could feel his signature weakening with every moment. Her thoughts raced as she clawed for something that she could do that would help him, but nothing came to her. A chill settled in her stomach.

" _Panic kills,"_ her father had told her on more than one occasion. _"There's always a different way you can use a jutsu. Its use isn't always just the obvious way everyone else uses it. You'll be surprised by what you can do with even just a chakra scalpel after a few years of practice."_

She inhaled through her mouth and exhaled through her nose.

Her fingers trembled as she molded her chakra with no intention to mend, but to encase. She sent it through his pathway and across the artery where she held it in place. She kept her hand as still as she could - one wrong move and she would slice the artery beyond any repair. It was little more than a modified scalpel bent to serve a different purpose as a tourniquet. Once she was confident it was in place, she focused on her right hand.

Beads of sweat dripped from her face.

Slowly, she sent medical chakra into the other wound and counted in her head, _Five, four, three, two, one..._

Once she determined the lesser of the two was mended, she turned her attention back to his artery. Carefully, she placed one hand above the tourniquet and channeled the ninjutsu into his cells. They multiplied into new cells and then those multiplied and after several tense moments the tissue was well on its way to being restored. She glanced up to look at Akio and found that although he appeared delirious, he watched her as she poured her essence into saving him.

_I think he's going to be okay,_ Arashi thought to herself, almost not believing it.

There had been nothing but silence as she worked, but when she glanced over at her sensei and then at Daisuke, the tension in the air shifted to relief. She gave one nod of affirmation.

"Holy shit." Daisuke whispered.

"I'm not done yet," she refocused on her task. "But I think we're good."

She was covered in Akio's blood. How he had remained conscious even with a plasma pill was beyond her. Her clothes were ruined and the grass was stained red around them.

Then, Daisuke turned and without any dignity vomited on the ground.

Arashi's stomach clenched so hard that she lost her breath. There was something about the sound of someone emptying their stomach that always got to her. Daisuke retched again and fell to his knees. Her body shook as she dry heaved in response.

Arashi clenched her eyes shut and hissed through her teeth, "Daisuke, _stop!"_

"I'm trying!" Daisuke glared at her with tears in his eyes.

The smell of his own vomit made the boy gag again. Ibiki, stoic as ever, grabbed his nauseas student and pulled him away from the puddle so that the stench would not continue to make him sick.

"Might have to hold his hair out of his face, Sensei," Akio rasped out. "He's worse than a girl."

Daisuke sneered at the Aburame, "I wouldn't be sick like this if you hadn't gotten yourself stabbed halfway into a grave."

"Hah," Akio breathed out, "I guess."

Arashi sighed in relief when the artery's repair was finished. She stood to her feet and faced Ibiki. His jaw was clenched as he thought. He ignored the exchange between his students. The kunoichi moved to stand in front of him.

"We need to find who did this," she clenched her fists. "I think it was a shinobi. We have to catch this person before he - she, I dunno - gets away."

The Jounin nodded once, "Daisuke, stay with Akio."

The ill genin gave them a thumbs up and went back to holding his stomach.

Arashi turned and ran in the direction she felt Akio's attacker retreating earlier. Ibiki stayed a step behind her at her side. The stress from what happened made her knees weak and her feet heavy, but she pressed through it. The nerves that she suppressed while she concentrated on Akio came back with a vengeance, but instead of translating to worry she was driven by outrage.

It took a while of jumping through the trees before she caught onto the signature again. The quiet between Ibiki and herself was somehow companionable. If she had not been engulfed in tracking then she would have been torn between being enthused that her sensei had faith in her and being concerned that a _sadist_ had faith in her.

The person's trek was sloppy. Even without being a sensor type, Arashi would have been able to find the trail. There were footprints, disturbed vegetation, and even a ripped article of clothing along the way. They crossed a stream and changed their direction once.

_Wait a second..._

Several more signatures came into range and overtook the one that she and Ibiki were pursuing. Her lips thinned into a line. She was not sure whether she should be concerned or not.

_What if this person has some friends?_

"We're almost there!" Arashi announced. "But there's other people now."

Ibiki grabbed her by a shoulder and pulled her to a stop. It was so abrupt that if his grip was not as strong as it was, then she would have fallen on her face. Before she could ask what he was doing, she saw a member of ANBU signaling to her sensei. The jounin replied with the sign language that she had seen only a time or two used between the Black Ops members.

_Sometimes I forget he's one of them,_ She slipped out of his grasp and habitually tried to smooth out the creases in her now ruined shirt.

The signature of Akio's attacker flickered out.

Arashi only realized there was a lump in her throat when she tried to swallow. It was undeniably off-putting to feel someone die like that, but she felt no sense of loss. The pieces clicked together with ease now.

Akio had been attacked by a criminal. One that was likely a shinobi trying to flee Konoha to become a missing nin.

Ibiki set an eye on her and whispered, "Go back and take care of Akio. I'll be there, shortly."

She nodded and sprinted away.

Even though Akio had survived, he would need time to recover. Antibiotics were at the top of her mental list for what he would need as soon as they managed to get back to Konoha. Part of her wondered if Ibiki would want them to get the Aburame up, but he needed more time. Moving him would probably only worsen his condition until he had some time to recover.

* * *

As soon as they arrived in Konoha, they went straight to the hospital to have Akio admitted. Just as Arashi predicted, he needed medication. That tended to happen after being stabbed by a filthy kunai. Daisuke remained distant after his weak stomach humiliated him and she almost missed the banter. It was almost like white noise to her now.

The nurses took Akio away to clean him up and examine him. Ibiki left to file a report on the mission, while Daisuke settled into a seat in the waiting room. She raised her eyebrows at him.

"I'm going to stay here until he's in a room," Daisuke explained.

She opened her mouth to reply, but a nurse waved her over. She shrugged at her teammate in exasperation, but complied.

"Your father's on duty. After we're done with examining Akio and cleaning him up, he'll be taking care of him," the nurse explained.

Arashi squinted. She knew she should remember her name, but she could not. The nurses blended together after a while.

"Okay, thanks. I'm going to go talk to him," she not so smoothly excused herself and walked away.

Her father was looking over a file in his office when she cracked the door open. He smiled and the gesture touched his eyes. He put the file down and stood to greet her.

"Looks like your teammate had an unfortunate run in," he commented.

Something about the light hearted way he played it off spiked her emotions. Her eyes burned as she closed the distance between them and threw her arms around him. He wrapped her up in a hug and squeezed her against his chest.

All at once she was no longer a Genin - she was his twelve year old daughter and he adored her.

"Daddy, I was scared," she mumbled into his shirt. "There was blood everywhere and all over me."

"It's okay. I'm proud of you." He whispered into her hair. "I'm so proud of you."

Her voice shook, "Will you make sure everything's okay?"

"I'll take care of everything. Go home and relax. Take a shower and talk to your mother. We've missed you."

The only response she could muster was a sniffle.

* * *

Hours later, after she showered and changed into a comfortable set of clothing, she rummaged through the scrolls she had been studying before her mission. She set the fuinjutsu to the side with the medical jutsu and her brow furrowed in thought.

The sight of Akio nearly dying haunted her. It was not that she ever liked him or that she was even beginning to like him. She still counted him among some of the people she liked the least, but she did not want him to die or to suffer.

_How could I be useful when I'm not there to look after them?_

As she stared at the two jutsu, an idea made her nearly slap her forehead.

_That's it! A medical jutsu sealed into the body that activates when needed!_

She was elated.

_But how am I going to do that?_

Arashi sighed and looked around her room. She had a lot of work ahead of her.

Once Arashi was tired of digging through the information she had on fuinjutsu, she found her mother organizing the inventory in her store.

Naomi lit up, "How was the mission?"

Arashi crinkled her nose like she had just taken a bite out of a cow patty.

"Oh, dear, what happened?"

"Oh, first we're running around doing this ridiculous mission for this Kishi Moto guy because some competitor stole his next book-"

"Kishi Moto? _The_ Kishi Moto?" Naomi's eyes widened. "The author of Ninja Island?"

"Yeah, this next one of his is like, Ninja Island: The Last, or something ridiculous like that," Arashi waved it off, "But anyway, I either slept on the ground or the floor, barely got any decent showers or baths, had to put up with my dysfunctional team, and I didn't even get to help beat up the people that we tracked for _hours_. Then, Akio got knifed and bled all over me and everything. It was _terrible._ "

"Oh," Naomi's eyebrows knit together. "Oh, honey..."

Arashi glared at her mother, but her offense was forgotten when there was a knock at the door. Daisuke stared in at them with an expression that was torn between nervous and agitated. He would not meet Arashi's questioning gaze, but waved at Naomi.

"Oh, come on in, sweet heart." Her mother ushered the boy inside.

Daisuke cleared his throat, "Well, I came to leave this here."

Arashi raised her eyebrows at him. He produced her music box and sat it down on the counter next to the register. It was now re-painted. The boy held up a finger to keep her from saying anything and wound it up.

It was no longer off tune.

"I painted it," Daisuke shrugged. "And Akio took it apart, and fixed it." He gestured awkwardly, "So, yeah, thanks for like not letting him die and stuff."

For the first time her teammates left her speechless in a good way.

After she found her voice, she asked, "Is that why you stayed in the waiting room?"

"Sure was. Why? Was it that obvious?" He sniffed. "Besides, it was tacky before we fixed it."

Arashi glowered at him.

* * *

**Just Pretend**

It seemed like a good idea at the time - after Itachi and Arashi finished their meal they were going to go to the Academy together to retrieve Sasuke and Naruto. There were no plans of a play date or anything like that. They were simply going to get their respective wannabe ninja and go their separate ways. It was a sound plan.

Until they arrived to find Iruka, their Academy Sensei, lecturing the boys after class.

"They disturbed class today by getting into a fight," Iruka explained after he collected himself for a moment. "I trust this will not become a normal behavior."

It was obvious the man had been through a rough day and was now trying to appear more in control than he had been before they arrived.

Arashi eyed him for a moment. He appeared to be around twenty or perhaps a little younger. There was a scar that ran across his face, his skin was tanned, and his brown hair was tied back. There was a stress vein that was still pulsing on his forehead. The girl chewed on her lip and glanced over at the boys.

Naruto was scuffed up a bit, but Sasuke appeared unscathed. They glared angrily at each other.

_Of course. My poor Naruto got kicked around by yet another Uchiha prodigy. The genes that clan packs around..._

Itachi raised an eyebrow at the boys and glanced over at Arashi, delicately. The look that he gave her was eloquent in its own right. His expression, albeit passive, was easily read. He was as surprised as she was over this, but he was much better at handling it. She sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose for a moment. She wanted to hide under a rock. Arashi had not held any fantasies about Naruto and Sasuke getting along. Whereas she had been enamored with Itachi since the day she met him in the library, the two boys had formed a strange rivalry - except it could not be considered a rivalry since one was a prodigy and the other was hardly in the running. It made her soul hurt.

"You have my apologies. I assure you, my little brother will be on his best behavior after this," Itachi broke the awkward silence.

Sasuke writhed in his seat like he had been skewered.

_Hero worship when it backfires._ Arashi almost felt sorry for the boy. _A slap on the wrist from his big brother probably feels like a kick in the nuts to him._

Naruto snickered.

Arashi's hand shot out and she caught him by the arm. His eyes went huge when she hovered over him and gave him the sternest look she could contort her face into.

"We do not laugh at other people when we're just as guilty, now do we, Naruto-kun?" She whispered.

He vigorously shook his head back and forth. There was no point in trying to run. He knew he did not possess enough strength in his body to break out of the vice that was her grip.

Arashi regarded Iruka and forced herself to smile, "Sorry about this. I'll have a talk with him."

The Chuunin instructor's serious expression faded away into a more lighthearted one, "Alright. Hopefully we can just leave this behind us, then."

"Yeah," she laughed, halfheartedly. _Probably not._

Sasuke stood and went to his brother's side, a thoroughly shamed expression on his face. Naruto stood by Arashi's side, with his lower lip stuck out in defiance. The blonde would not look at anyone. His eyes were screwed shut and his nose was held up in the air. In fact, Arashi doubted he had even noticed Itachi standing near her - or even being in the same room - between his act of _not caring_ and the glaring contest he was locked in with Sasuke.

Arashi mouthed a _"Sorry"_ to Itachi. The corners of his lips twitched and he shrugged a shoulder. There was a glint of amusement in his eyes. Once she was no longer embarrassed, she was sure she would be able to see the humor in the scene, as well, but at that moment she was mortified.

"Well, I guess I'll talk to you later, Itachi-kun."

"Another time," Itachi called over his shoulder before he addressed his brother, "We should hurry or we'll be late for dinner."

The two Uchiha waved before they walked away.

"Really, Naruto," Arashi huffed. "You could've picked someone else to hate - someone not in a family that pumps out prodigies left and right."

Naruto's nose rose higher in the air.

* * *

"But he started it!" Naruto whined.

She rubbed her temples, "I know, but the best way to get back at people like that is to ignore them."

The blonde looked at her like she had grown an extra head. His child reasoning could not grasp how that would help his situation at all. Arashi had to bite her cheek to keep from grinning at how cute his expression was.

"That doesn't make sense," he mumbled. "If I want to put him in his place, then ignoring him won't do it."

"Who says you _have_ to put him in his place?"

"I do!"

"Because he made you mad?"

"Yeah!"

"I think you need to calm down, kid. My teammates make me mad every time I see them and I don't go around fist fighting with them."

"They aren't Sasuke!"

She snorted and pinched his side. He screeched and danced away from her.

It was probably a good thing that the playground was empty that evening. Naruto did not grasp what acceptable sound levels were and she was having a hard time teaching him. Currently, she was sitting at the bottom of a slide and trying to reason with the Uzumaki.

Progress was dismal.

"Just try not to fight at the Academy, okay? Avoid him if you have to."

"I'm going to get better than him." The boy stated like it was a promise.

She did not argue or disagree with him. Nothing would make her happier than to see him be successful and to rise through the ranks with ease. She just knew that it was not as easy as he thought it was.

Oftentimes, when Arashi was lost in thought or distracted she would lose track of the signatures around her. As a child it was like swimming through the sky - each star was a person - but with time she began to tune the people out to keep from overexerting her senses. It was exhausting, otherwise. Then, after not paying attention, her sixth sense would flare up all at once, much like how a person's reflexes kick in to keep them safe.

She frowned as the switch to her awareness kicked back on.

On the other side of the playground, behind a bush was her brother. At the tender age of five, she knew that their mother would not have let him out to explore on his own. Since there was no one else near him or even particularly near the park, she knew he was alone. One of the only ways he could have pulled off an escape was if he waited until their mother was busy with customers and then slipped away without a word.

Naruto waved a hand in front of her face.

She blinked, "Huh?"

"You okay, Sis?"

"Erm, yeah." She stood. "Hold on a minute."

"Uh, okay?"

He watched her take a few steps away from the slide, cross her arms and call out, "Kazika, I know you're there!"

A moment passed before the four-almost-five year old crawled out from under the plant and stared at her. He was filthy from the top of his head down to his feet. His clothes were ripped in several places and he had a bag slung over his shoulder. She could see a toy poking out of the top. He looked like a street urchin.

_Mom's gonna be pissed._

The boy marched toward her like he had been to war and back. She might have taken him seriously if he had been taller than her hip or if she did not recognize the toy in his bag as a stuffed rabbit. His size and choice of luggage stole his thunder.

He stopped in front of her, looked up, and stated in his high pitched voice, "Play with me."

"Do you know how mad Mom's going to be?" Arashi countered.

The boy shook his head back and forth, as if the gesture would make what she was saying hold no sway in their show down, "You're back now, so now we play."

"Kazika, you look diseased."

Her brother threw his bag down and thrust his arms out in a theatrical show, "I don't care!"

She was impressed.

"You'll care when Dad has to amputate all your limbs because you caught something nasty."

The boy's eyes widened, "Am'tate?"

"Amputate."

"Amp..tate?"

"Cut them off. All of them. You'll be rolling around on nubs."

Kazika held his arms in front of him and stared down at them with a look mixed with wonder and horror at the idea.

Naruto tugged on her shirt to get her attention and leaned toward her with a hand shielding his mouth as he not so quietly whispered, "Who's that?"

Kazika's attention shifted to Naruto and he stated in a way that only a jealous child could, "I'm Kazika. She's _my_ sister and she's going to play with _me_."

The blond looked like he had been stung. He pulled his hand away from Arashi's shirt and moved away from her with his eyes glued to his feet. The vulnerable slouch of his shoulders was like a punch in the throat.

She could always tell by the little things Naruto did what he had been through while she was away. He did not have any friends and few adults were kind to him. He was ostracized and shunned. The worst part about it was that it was not even his fault. She was sure it was her imagination, but she felt like she could count the times he had been driven away from normal activities, such as making friends, or socializing by adults that were afraid of the Kyuubi by the times he fidgeted.

"How about," Arashi shot a reproachful look at her brother, "We all play together?"

Naruto's eyes lit up, "Yeah!"

Kazika mulled the thought over for a bit before he nodded, "Let's play on the swing!"

The two boys scurried over to the swing set faster than their short legs should have allowed them to move. Arashi switched between pushing the two boys in intervals.

"Faster! Faster! Faster!" Naruto yelled. "Higher! Higher! Higher!"

His voice echoed off of everything around them. Arashi cringed, but did as he wanted.

"Me, too!" Kazika whined.

"Don't fall off." She warned before she switched over to her brother.

"I have an idea!" Naruto shouted. "Let's play ninja!"

Kazika's face crinkled up, "Ninja? I don't want to play ninja."

Naruto looked like he had been stabbed as he looked over at the other boy in shock, "Why?"

"Ninjas are too busy."

Arashi snorted, "Kazika, just _pretend_ you're a ninja. It's not the same as being a ninja."

He thought about it again, in a drawn out theatrical way before he agreed, "Okay."

"Our target..." Naruto paused for effect. "Is Arashi-chan!"

"What?" she stepped back away from the swing. "You're turning on me now?"

The two boys grinned at each other. Naruto's was sly, while Kazika's was toothy.

_Oh my._

Even if she could not be around all the time for them, it was the little things that counted the most and she was fine with that.


	7. A Day with Itachi

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arashi works on her new project and spends time with her oldest friend.

**A Day with Itachi**

The grass tickled her skin.

Arashi shifted and settled again on her stomach on the ground. She decided on wearing a turtleneck that day. She usually chose something sleeveless because she did not like feeling restrained, but she had the day off from missions and training. It was not often that she got to wear anything other than her 'on duty' clothing.

In front of her was a stack of scrolls. She had been busy studying for weeks to find a way to put her concept into action: to seal a medical ninjutsu into a person's body to carry with them that would activate when needed. She was not sure how effective it was or if it would work the way she hoped it would in practice, but she was determined to find out. It had the potential to save the lives of many shinobi - like they had a personal medic with them, but in a limited supply.

_I haven't even gotten to live testing._

The distinct sound of sparring drew her attention away from her work and toward two Uchiha. She smiled to herself and pushed the scrolls away for a break. Itachi and Shisui were training together a short distance away. The two had a bond she almost envied, but instead of being jealous she chose to be glad they let her occasionally watch their matches.

There was something brotherly about them that was endearing. The Uchiha were undoubtedly loyal to each other - a far cry different than the members of the Hyuga clan she had seen. The pale eyed members of that clan were prisoners to their own traditions and most of them acted as little more than slaves to the head family. She had never seen them happy to further the goals of their clan. If anything, they came off as more bitter than anything.

It was like they were all caged birds.

_Maybe it's just the ones I've seen or something._

Itachi and Shisui moved so quickly that sometimes she had a hard time following all of their movements. Their chakra flared readily, and in measured bursts like it was natural to them by now - something that only advanced ninjas portrayed, except in rare examples. It made her senses tingle in excitement.

They were in the forest not far from the Uchiha compound. It was displaced enough that the sounds and smells of the city were not present with them. There was just the wind and the smell of nature it carried with it.

_I can't lay here and watch them all day if I expect to get anything done._

She shifted to sit upright and turned her attention back to her work. She almost cringed at her handwriting. It was a wonder her grades were even half as good as they were in the Academy just because of how messy it all was. Everything was orderly and organized, at the very least, even if it was hard to read.

The sound of the two boys approaching almost made her glance up for a second, but she was determined to make progress. She could not afford to be constantly distracted. Their breathing was heavy and they were covered in sweat. While Itachi's expression was passive - which was the norm for him - Shisui's eyebrows rose a little as he peered down at the scrolls.

After a moment he broke the quiet, "So, you're still working on your new project?"

"Yeah. It's not being very easy."

"What has you caught up?" Shisui shifted his position so that he could get a better look. "I mean, other than how it looks like a massacre on paper."

She glowered at him.

He held his hands up in surrender, "Just teasing! This stuff is advanced for a Genin and even for Chuunin. Most people struggle with fuinjutsu concerning stuff other than just the basics. Have you thought about conspiring with a Jounin for some help with it?"

_He's right,_ she begrudgingly admitted to herself, "But I want to accomplish this on my own. If I can finish filling in the ground work for it and successfully test it, then I'll be more confident to share it with someone else."

"I see. What's keeping you from sharing it now?"

"I don't know if it'll even work."

"Oh!" He laughed, good naturedly. "I think every jutsu starts off like that. I mean, sometime in the past someone decided they were going to breathe fire and tried until they did."

She sighed in exasperation, "I just wish not everything I'm interested in required so much work!"

"Hey, when you finally do get it working, it'll be even more gratifying because of it, right?"

"I'll probably sprout wings and fly."

"Well," He looked up at a bird circling over them. "I hope to see you fluttering over my head soon. I need to be going." He excused himself. "Good luck, Arashi-chan."

"Thanks, Shisui-kun."

"I'll see you two later," he said and disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Arashi waved the smoke away. Itachi sat beside her and brushed his bangs out of his face. Some of the strands were stuck to his skin because of the sweat he worked up. He reached for his canteen but frowned when he found it empty. Wordlessly, she handed him her own. He closed his eyes in a friendly grin and drank deeply. She reached into a bag and pulled out several sticks of dango wrapped in a cloth and sat it down between them.

"I brought a snack. Have as much as you want."

He picked up a stick of dango and murmured, "Thank you."

"No problem, Itachi-kun." She flipped through her work and placed a couple scrolls in front of him. "Could you check my progress? I've never been really good at math and a lot of this is mathematical. I always have to be extra careful and continuously check over my work because of that. If one bit is off, this will either not function at all or backfire."

He swallowed a mouthful of food and took another bite as he looked over the first scroll.

"It's more complicated than I thought it was going to be at first," she admitted. "I mean, the seals have to be placed strategically through the body while being mindful of the chakra pathways. If that part is sloppy, it will throw off the medical ninjutsu, or it could be worse and mess with a person's chakra flow. It would be no good if they couldn't use their chakra, right? Furthermore, there needs to be some sort of tourniquet failsafe if an artery is damaged and those are possibly going to be _extremely_ sensitive to a person's own chakra, so the fuinjutsu for that has to be on point exactly with another failsafe, just in case."

"So, in order for this to be implemented correctly, the user has to be familiar with the target's chakra pathways, know medical ninjutsu, and be skilled in fuinjutsu?"

"Uh, basically."

The Uchiha hummed and looked over another scroll of her work.

"Once the formula checks out I have to start live testing in order to work out any other problems I didn't expect. I mean, the trigger shouldn't be hard to implement. Kind of like certain paper bombs that only go off when the target is in a certain proximity - except this fuinjutsu reacts to damaged cells around it."

She pulled some dango off a stick and popped it in her mouth. There was a headache persistently trying to make itself known in spite of how hard she was trying to ignore it. With a huff, she pulled her glasses off, sat them in the grass by her side, and laid back to look up at the sky. Her hands were dry from the books and scrolls she had been digging through, but she needed as much information as she could find. She had been working tirelessly and although there was not as much progress as she wanted, it was still coming along.

Her attention drifted over to Itachi. His dark eyes inspected every detail of her work - something that made her breathe a sigh of relief. For some reason she knew she could count on him. She always had. He saw things she did not. It was uncanny how nothing got past him.

"This will shape your career as a shinobi, Arashi-chan."

She blinked, "What? I wouldn't say anything like that. I have this distinct feeling it's going to, well, like kill the first person I put it on. If it even half works I'll be happy."

He regarded her and chuckled.

"This is why people say they don't understand you," she mumbled. "Being vague all the time. It's like you say only a fourth of what you actually think about something, if that."

"Hmm."

His expression softened and became distant.

_He's been drifting off like that more lately._ She rolled onto her side, "I'd give just about anything to get inside that head of yours."

His attention snapped back to her, "They are just thoughts. It is better to have your own than to adhere only to someone else's."

"I'm told I have more than enough thoughts and opinions. Pretty sure you're going to form some sort of terminal illness if I keep venting every little thing to you. Honestly. I probably sound crazy shallow and stupid when I get into rants. Jut once, for one of my birthdays or something I'm going to make you sit down and just talk to me. Tell me everything you think, everything you can remember. All of it."

He flicked her nose and she squealed.

"One of these days, Itachi-kun, I'm going to beat you up for that!" She jumped to her feet, rubbing her nose. "That hurts, _y'know!_ "

He raised his eyebrows, innocently.

"Seriously! I'm gonna make you bleed!"

He laughed at her. Openly and in her _face._

"Oh yeah, go ahead. Laugh. I see how it is." She crossed her arms. "Just you wait. My eventual betrayal will be swift and merciless."

He stood, walked several feet away and turned to face her, "A sparring match, then?"

"Erm, what?"

"You've never sparred with me, Arashi-chan. You could use a break from reading. It will help you focus better."

"Uh."

Arashi had never sparred with Itachi for several reasons. She had never even drawn a kunai in his presence. When they were still in the Academy together, she had seen him drop kids older and more experienced than her. She was convinced he could have taken their instructors on, as well. Since he had entered ANBU he had become extremely more brutal - if Shisui was not such a skilled ninja himself, then she would have felt sorry for him since he often sparred with Itachi.

_He's going to wreck me._

"Uhhm." A bead of sweat ran down her forehead. "You sure about this?"

"Of course. My mother expects you over for dinner tonight. Shouldn't you work up an appetite first?"

"Okay." She swallowed over a lump in her throat, "Just, uh, be gentle? I'm just a genin level medic. Combat really isn't my thing."

He grinned, boyishly, "Are you ready?"

She pulled her hair away from her face and quickly braided it to keep it from getting in her way. Her glasses were going to stay on the ground beside her scrolls. The last thing she needed to do was break them while being badly beaten by her friend.

_Lightning on your feet, Arashi. Lightning on your feet._ She shifted her stance, "As ready as I'll ever be!"

He closed his eyes and opened them to reveal the sharingan.

"That's _cheating!_ "

He threw two shuriken so fast she didn't even notice - until her left sleeve separated from the rest of the shirt and fell on the ground. Her mouth dropped open and she looked up at him with wide eyes. Blood ran down her arm and seeped into her glove.

He gave her a pointed look.

_Crap, crap, crap! Move!_

Her legs felt like limp noodles, but she managed to throw herself into a run. She was a medic, not a fighter. Her role was to support, evade, and analyze. In no way would she have been advised to enter into direct combat with anyone if it could be helped.

She made for the cover offered by the trees.

Itachi remained behind her. She knew his signature just as well as she knew the signatures of her parents. If he moved, she would know it, unless he had a secret way to cloak his chakra. If he could manage to do that, then she had nothing to use against him. There was no time for her to set up fuinjutsu traps, paper bombs were more dangerous than anything she wanted to utilize against a friend, and she knew no offensive jutsu.

Without a team or someone to work with, she was basically defenseless.

_Okay, so he's following at a distance-_

Two kunai flashed by her and her right sleeve slid off her arm - followed by blood running down and filling up her other glove.

"You can't be serious!"

Then again, he was so fast and well trained in tracking that she really stood no chance, anyway.

* * *

Arashi walked beside Itachi through the compound. She looked down at her torn sleeves and pouted. It had been a mistake to wear a turtleneck that day. Then again, she did not expect to be talked into _training_ with Itachi. Not that it was really training. It was more like a failed attempt at hide and seek in which she never managed to hide.

_Doesn't matter how expensive the clothing is - no shirt will stand up to shuriken. Or kunai._

She imagined it went just about as well as Naruto's fights with Sasuke. Not a speck of dust on Itachi, whereas she looked like she just got back from an enthusiastic walk in the middle of a hurricane.

Arashi clenched her fists and shuddered when her fingers squished audibly in the bloody gloves. She had been able to wash the blood off her arms, but her gloves were a lost cause. They were the pair that she wore when she became a Genin. Maybe she was sentimental, but it bothered her to get rid of them now.

_Here I am, fussing over clothes. What kind of ninja am I? This is embarrassing._

She looked up and forced the pout from her face. Itachi had a few of her scrolls cradled in his arm. Like she had wanted him to, he looked over all of them before they left the solitude of the forest for the compound. He had a great eye for detail.

The compound was a testament to the clan's pride. They had been a part of Konoha since the founding and the country owed much of its strength and prestige to them. All of the clan members wore the telltale fan on their back and even the walls bore the symbol.

Most of the members had a natural affinity with fire.

_I wonder if that's why they named our country after fire? Are they the flames that dance behind the leaves or does it just apply to the Will of Fire? Or does it apply to everyone who lives in this country?_

Itachi plucked a leaf out of her hair and let it fall to the ground. The corners of his lips twitched up into a slight smile, but he seemed distracted.

_He's often distant, but he seems more tired now. It's probably ANBU._

Arashi frowned. She did not want to even think about the things he had to do for the Black Ops. She just hoped it was not like what Ibiki did.

"Itachi-kun, Arashi-chan!"

A stout Uchiha woman approached them with a wide smile on her face. In one hand she held a broom, the other was on her hip. Arashi recognized the woman as Uruchi. On the other side of their shop her husband, Teyaki, was in a chair with a newspaper in front of his face. The smell of senbei made her mouth water.

"Uruchi-san," she used her most familiar smile - she picked it up from her mother who used it when greeting customers she liked - and lifted her hand in a wave, "How have you been? Teyaki-san?"

"Oh, we've been doing well. What about you? I haven't seen you around in a while." She cooed. "I remember when the two of you were just little things, shorter than my hip. You'd both come here all the time for some senbei. Don't tell me you forgot all about us?"

"Never!" She gave the older Uchiha woman a quick hug. "I'm lucky I didn't get fat on those senbei of yours. Just busy with missions and training, really."

"Busy growing up." She sighed, wistfully. "Both you and Itachi-kun. Makes me feel old."

"You're lovely." Arashi replied, reflexively. "Worrying will make you wrinkle up and turn gray."

Itachi disguised a chuckle by clearing his throat.

_Crap. I sound like my mother now._

"Hah! Would you two like some senbei?"

"Ah, no, just on our way to eat dinner soon." Arashi replied. "But thank you-"

Itachi pulled some ryou out of his pocket and handed it to Uruchi. The exchange was quick and in seconds Arashi was holding several senbei wrapped in a napkin.

"Now, you two go along and come back to visit soon!" The woman waved.

"I'll try," Arashi called over her shoulder.

She handed one of the senbei to Itachi. It struck her as odd that Teyaki did not even look up at her, other than a quick glance. As a child, she distinctly remembered climbing in his lap - she did not have boundaries - and that he seemed to like her. Everywhere she looked she recognized faces that now paid little attention to her. They were cold; almost distrusting. She had laughed with some of them and had conversations with others, but now it was like she did not belong.

The compound was feeling less like the place she used to escape to for a evening of play with Itachi and more like a place sectioned away from the rest of the village.

_Almost like segregation. And, also.. everyone's being so cold._

The signatures of the clansmen were not as warm as they were before. She could not tell if it was gradual or sudden, but now they felt different. Darker. Itachi was as bright and gentle as always - a special flame - but not even he could illuminate the compound.

It was like looking up into the sky expecting to see an ocean stars, but instead there was only one in the darkness.

_It's just my imagination. A cold stare here is like a loving caress or something. These Uchiha.._

The persistent headache from before throbbed back into her attention. She rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. It was hard, but she tried to push away her thoughts and block out her sensory. Itachi placed a hand on her shoulder and frowned in concern.

"Is the headache from our match?"

"Pfft. That wasn't a match. It was just me running." Arashi snorted. "It'll probably go away when I eat."

"Have a senbei." he gestured at the untouched food wrapped up in her free hand. "You used to like them."

"Mother hen." she murmured and took a bite.

Words could not express how grateful she was to feel his warmth in that cold place.

* * *

Arashi would normally describe herself as intelligent, well educated, determined, and confident (while her teammates would describe her as nosy, bossy, over dramatic and moody). Normally, she would be nose deep in some sort of text or helping piece someone back together. That was how her life had been and that was what she was comfortable with. She was well aware what her definition of normal was when in regards to herself.

Normally, she would _not_ be sitting across a table from Fugaku Uchiha, trying to make small talk.

It took all of her concentration to keep her hands from shaking. Simple things were suddenly an obstacle. The moment she sat in front of that table, she forgot etiquette and exactly how to eat. Her left cheek twitched. She tried biting it, but it did not help.

At that moment she was having a hard time stringing sentences together without it sounding sloppy or forced.

"So yeah," she laughed, weakly. "The ANBU in the interrogation ward kind of took my team under their care sort of like a group effort, I guess. Ibiki-sensei is sometimes busy with, uh, work for a long time, so one of the other members of the Black Ops will sometimes try to teach us something useful. It's not all the time or anything, but yeah.." She faltered and poked at her food. "It's probably just to keep us from getting into stuff we're not supposed to see."

His expression hardly shifted, "How amusing."

_Well, I mean, he does look tired. Probably a busy day at the Police Force headquarters or something. I also suck at telling stories, so I guess I should be happy I didn't bore him to tears._

There was an assertiveness about Fugaku's presence that she could not help but admire. The head of the Uchiha clan was enigmatic to her. Arashi had a feeling that he did not approve of her friendship with his eldest son, but tolerated it. Their meet ups did not interfere with any of Itachi's work, so there was not much to be said about it.

She might not have been one of the elite like his son, but she was far from the bottom of the barrel.

_Am I sitting too close to Itachi?_ She glanced from the corner of her eye to check the distance from herself and her friend. _Okay, I guess this is okay. Don't want them think I'm being clingy or something._

Itachi looked at her from the corner of his eye and then down at his food once again.

_I guess he can tell I'm uncomfortable. I don't know why I'm a ball of nerves today. I just get so nervous around Fugaku._

Arashi's thoughts shifted back to their walk and how perturbing it was to be stared at like an unwelcomed stranger. She was not sure what to think of the experience.

Her cheek twitched again, _I bet there's food on my face._

"Well," Mikoto smiled, pleasantly, "How has your mother been doing, Arashi-chan?"

Arashi swallowed her rice without chewing, "Good. Very good. Stays busy."

"And Kazika-chan?"

"He's a weird kid." She grinned down at her food. "Weird, but sweet."

Sasuke cleared his plate quickly and sat with his attention divided between his father and his brother. Neither of which were speaking much. Arashi felt like the boy hardly even noticed her presence.

Not that she could judge. She had her own heroes when she was his age, too. Arashi still had a long lock of red hair tucked away in her room. At first after the Kyuubi incident, it pained her to look at it, but with time she came to remember only the good things.

"Is he interested in becoming a shinobi? You and your father seem to find the career agreeable?" Mikoto continued.

Arashi laughed, "He has a limited vocabulary, but a good portion of it is made up by 'ninjas work too much' and similar complaints. I guess where I'm gone all the time and Dad's a workaholic, it makes him think it wouldn't be rewarding enough or something."

Fugaku spoke for the first time that evening without being spoken to first, "A good work ethic is priceless. He'd do well to follow after your father. Ookami-san is skilled and very dedicated."

"Yeah," she grinned in agreement. "He's great at what he does. My little brother will come around, I think. He's still too young to really understand much."

Sasuke tilted his head to one side and regarded her, "How old is he?"

"Almost five."

The boy crossed his arms over his chest, "I knew I was going to be a ninja when I was that old."

"Well, sometimes it takes people a little longer to decide what they want to be when they grow up," Arashi replied.

"I guess," he mumbled.

_He doesn't have a mother that's a civilian like my mom. It's easier to imagine just being a person and not a shinobi when you live with someone who's perfectly happy just living._

Sasuke perked up, "Hey, brother, will you play with me when you're done eating?"

"Not tonight," Itachi replied. "I need to rest for a mission tomorrow."

The boy pouted. "Alright."

It was cute to see Itachi and Sasuke interact with each other. Mikoto watched them, fondly. For a second Arashi wondered if she would ever be like that - a retired Jounin in love with her family - or if she would focus on her career until the day she died.

Mikoto looked away from her children and at Arashi, "It's good to have you over. You'll have to come over again for dinner, soon."

"Of course. I'd love to."

There was a strange nagging at the back of her mind that things had changed and not just with age. She tried not to focus on it, but it worried her. She knew these people and she could tell that there was something wrong. At the very least, Itachi's immediate family was not treating her any differently.

Arashi looked at a clock and sighed, "It's almost time for me to leave. Let me help you with the dishes before I have to go. I have to meet my sensei early in the morning."

"Oh? So soon?" Mikoto frowned. "Don't worry about the dishes. There's not that many."

Itachi took his plate to the sink and looked at his friend over his shoulder, "I'll walk you home."

Sasuke's pout deepened, but he did not say anything.

* * *

They did not speak as they walked.

Most of the time when they were accompanying each other through the streets to a destination, they did not speak. He was quiet in nature and despite common belief, she did get tired of talking on occasion. This time, though, the silence was not peaceful.

She glanced at him a few times and almost brought up what she felt, but each time she decided against it.

_Surely, he knows already?_

When they made it to her home, she gave him a brief hug, "I would give just about anything to know what goes on in your thoughts."

She released him and disappeared inside. There was a guarded sadness in his eyes as she closed the door.


	8. Shenanigans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto's pranks and repercussions, as well as shenanigans in the Intelligence Division.

**Shenanigans**

Naruto was not the smartest child in his class.

No one would have argued against that statement. He was not the most talented, he was not the strongest, he was not the fastest, and he struggled with even some of the more basic concepts. None of the other kids wanted to be his friend. From that stemmed the defense mechanism to lash out first and think about it later. His mouth was too big for his body, as most people that came across him found out. It was the only way he knew how to defend himself against the treatment of those around him.

The young Uzumaki had more guts than anyone in his class.

That was both a good thing and a bad thing. Good in that he never gave up and he threw his whole heart into what he was doing. Bad in that he lacked the proper guidance most of the time to channel his energy accordingly. Although there had been some attempts made by a select few people to guide the boy, it was like trying to direct a hurricane. Naruto needed a heavy, but tender hand and that hand needed to be ever present in order to keep him out of trouble.

Despite the growing belief that the boy was stupid, Naruto was actually very clever.

His mischievous tendencies reminded many people of a certain Uzumaki woman's youth and her fondness of pranks, but those memories were more often than not overshadowed by thoughts of a demon waiting with bated breath to wreak havoc again. The looks of disgust and hatred were like a brand that seared into the boy's heart. He could not remember a time he did anything bad enough to earn their scorn. It hurt in a way he did not know how to stress with words, but the people that looked at him like he was nothing or the ones that denied to acknowledge his existence were the worst.

Those were the ones that cut him to his soul.

Whether it was a lack of impulse control or entirely premeditated, Naruto stood in front of a vandalized building with a bucket of paint beside him. The store owner was going to be furious. The boy knew he should not have done that, but this particular man had given him one of _those_ looks and the memory of it stung. At the very least, this day the store owner would acknowledge him and not walk past him like he was nothing.

All thoughts of repercussion thrown into the wind, the boy stood there with a grin that spanned from one ear to the other.

That was how Arashi found him.

She stared with wide eyes at the scene in front of her. There were offensive terms and pictures painted all over the building. Neither of the two spoke a word to each other. He watched her, his feet frozen to the spot, and waited to see what her reaction would be. The boy had never pushed her before and a mixture of fear and fascination filled him.

Would she look at him like everyone else did?

Every single person in his life before that was supposed to be something to him had left without him pushing them. They left without him giving them a reason to leave. Without him fully understanding why he had done this, he hoped she could understand.

The kunoichi squinted down at him and pulled in a ragged breath, "What are you still doing here after you wrecked this place? Run, _y'know!_ "

Two blue eyes bulged out at her, "Sis?"

It was at that time that the store owner decided to step outside for a quick smoke break and the calm before the storm shattered. He let out a shout of shock, looked around, saw the bucket of paint - saw Naruto covered in afore mentioned paint - and all the dots connected together to form one huge explosion of rage. He threw his cigarette down and stormed toward them, his fists clenched by his sides and a vein in his forehead threatening to burst if it bulged anymore.

Naruto squealed in terror.

_Great. Just great._

Arashi squared herself and stepped between the cowering child and the man. This was not the first time she had faced off with a grown man over Naruto and she knew it would not be the last. It did not help her case that the boy was obviously guilty and that he already had a bad reputation.

Through the shouts of anger, demands of reparation, and flailing gesticulation Arashi figured out what his name was, "Fuji-san, I know you're angry and you have every right to be angry, but he's just a kid and kids do crazy stuff sometimes."

"That brat is hell bent on ruining this village! This isn't the first time he's vandalized someone else's property!"

Arashi gagged inwardly. Her ears rang painfully and she was fairly certain her face had a nice coat of spit on it from the amount of shouting that was aimed at her face. She had heard rumors about him doing this before, but she was not around for it. This was the first time she was a witness to one of his more destructive _pranks._

"I'll talk to him and we'll both do whatever is necessary to fix th-"

"Getting rid of that _thing_ is the only thing that will fix this!"

All thought of being civil went out the window and Arashi grabbed a fist full of the man's shirt and pulled him down to her level, "His name is _Naruto_ and he is not a _thing_."

"I'll be Hokage someday, you know!" The boy declared from behind her. "And then everyone will acknowledge me!"

She grit her teeth, "You're not helping the situation!"

"Huh?!"

"Why do you even care about this kid? He's never going to be anything but a failure." He spat the words out like they were venom. "You shouldn't waste your time on him."

Arashi pulled him even farther down until their noses were almost touching, "I think you need to re-think what you just said, Fuji-san."

Unbeknownst to the kunoichi, three members of the Police Force turned down that street on their daily patrol. It was a normal route for them to pass through and they were right on time that day. She was so caught up in resisting the urge to pummel the storeowner that she did not notice Naruto's quiet warnings or the signature of the Uchiha closing in on her location.

Uchiha Fugaku made a point to make himself seen by the citizens of Konoha. An ever present Police Force was a much more efficient deterrent to crime than one that kept to itself and he realized that by taking things into his own hands he could build rapport with Konoha. He was an efficient leader.

Fugaku stared at the scene for a few seconds. It was not every day that a twelve year old girl had a grown man at her mercy, let alone one that he knew. Arashi went still and quiet as soon as she noticed him. She glanced over her shoulder to see if Naruto was still there to find that he had bailed out on her at some point.

_Thanks, kid. Nice to know you have my back when it counts._ She mentally grumbled to herself.

Another member of the Police Forced crossed his arms and threw a flippant expression at her.

At a loss for what to do, she smiled sheepishly, "H-how are you today, Fugaku-san? This just sort of, uhm, happened."

He raised an eyebrow just a fraction - she had seen that same gesture in Itachi - and she looked over at her fist to see that she still had the storeowner by his shirt. She released him with a cough and covered her burning face with her hands. Fuji-san immediately turned toward Fugaku and gave his account of the situation. Arashi wanted to intervene at several points, but realized every word that came out of her mouth would only serve to dig her into a deeper pit.

Fugaku motioned for his two subordinates to go on their own way, "I'll take care of this, Fuji-san. We'll see to it that your store is restored to its previous state and I will deal with this kunoichi and her family. I will bring the issue with Naruto to Hokage-sama's attention and he will deal with the child as he sees fit."

The man's red face relaxed and he dug out another cigarette, "Alright. As long as you do."

"You have my word."

Fuji-san nodded and walked away to regain his composure before he re-entered his store to continue the day. Arashi was thankful that the ordeal had not caught the attention of a crowd of people, but that did not help the humiliation she felt from being in the situation in the first place.

"You have some explaining to do."

She stared down at her feet, "Yeah."

"And some cleaning."

She cringed, "I guess so."

"You can do both at the same time."

Before long she was scrubbing paint off the store and giving the Uchiha her account of the ordeal. The way that he watched her as she worked made her nervous. She did not think she would be in any _serious_ trouble from any of this, but she worried what he would do after she was finished. Her parents would be less than understanding about it, but they would manage. The Hokage had a soft spot for Naruto for reasons that were illegal to discuss.

_I just hope he doesn't lock me up in the Police Force HQ over night to get any points across._ She frowned. _I'm already going to be late meeting up with my team today._

"Naruto is a complicated ordeal."

Arashi blinked and glanced over at him, "Yeah. He is."

"It's commendable that you try to be there for him, but if he continues this behavior then the connection you have with him will make others view you in a negative light," Fugaku continued, "And from what I've seen you care about your career more than most kunoichi do at your age."

Her hands stilled and a chill ran up her spine. He was right.

"I would hate to see that happen to you early in your career. You have potential and you have your father's support. Ookami-san does good work and it would be good if you followed after his example."

She swallowed over the lump in her throat, "I can't just abandon him. He's like a little brother to me."

"I didn't say abandon, though that has its wisdom." Fugaku closed the distance between them with a few long strides and took her wrist in his hand, "Even now you are paying for his actions. It may not be so severe now, but with time it will get worse." He released her. "Next time, let him pay. Some people cannot learn if they do not pay their own consequences."

Her lips trembled, "Why are you saying all this? You hardly even speak to me."

"Maybe I'm feeling sentimental today," he gave her a crooked grin, "But when I look at you, I think about Itachi. He's my boy and he's been a pleasure to watch grow, but I don't understand him. You're the only friend he has that I know of, other than Shisui. Because of that, I have watched you grow up to this point, as well. My son has invested something in you and I would rather see you find success than failure."

She looked down at her feet again, "Thanks for the advice."

"Think on it," he took a step back. "I'm going to go have a word with your father and with the Hokage. I trust you will finish this?"

"Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere until I've gotten everything."

"Good."

* * *

Arashi's hands were chafed, sore, and stained with paint as she ran across the village and toward the Intelligence Division. She was late for her team's meeting. She had never been late to one before and neither had her teammates. She would have sooner stabbed herself in the leg than make Ibiki wait for her. He was a busy man and he had a lot of sensitive and important things to take care of, so time was a precious resource.

If that was not enough to put her in a foul mood, Fugaku's words and the truth in them threw her over the edge.

_I'll never turn my back on Naruto. Not in a million years. Pompous duck-butt._

She smiled nervously at the ANBU members she passed as she walked through the hallways toward Ibiki's office. She felt Daisuke and Akio there (as well as a dispersion of his Kikaichu), while Ibiki was away in another room. From her calculations, it was one of the interrogation rooms. He must have been busy with someone, then.

She released a sigh of relief.

If he was busy, then he would not have much to say about her being late that day. Not that it was necessarily her fault. A whiskered, blue eyed blond was the culprit.

As soon as she entered the room, Daisuke waved at her and placed a finger to his lips. She squinted at him. He pointed over at Akio and her mouth formed an O. The wall beside the Aburame was covered in Kikaichu. In fact, there were insects all over the office. A trail of them led outside the room, in a sparse trail into the hallway.

She threw a curious look at Daisuke to find that he was scribbling away at a scroll near her. She leaned over and got a look at what he was doing and her eyebrows shot up when she saw that he was working on a jutsu. Another glance over at Akio led her to the revelation that they were up to something. It was better to be busy while their sensei was busy than to waste time.

"What are you doing?" she whispered to Daisuke.

"Shh. You'll see soon." He shooed her away. "Akio, how long until the shift change?"

"Ten minutes."

She crossed her arms, "Okay, what's up?"

"So nosy." Daisuke sighed dramatically, "Akio figured out one of the new recruits in the ward is a total push over-"

_Leave it to Akio to figure out who the vulnerable one is._

"-so, since Ibiki is busy, we decided we'd practice some jutsu, find this guy and get him to show us some stuff. He's new so we should be able to pressure him into it."

"I feel like I should object," Arashi grinned, "But this sounds pretty cool. What's the plan?"

"Okay, so Akio's been using his Kikaichu to keep up with people since you were late, so he's keeping up with everyone's patrols and the intervals and stuff."

She nodded.

"With you here, we'll have a lock down on people's locations and proximity." He continued, "Now, since this place is like a bee hive and there are people always here, I figured we'd need some camouflage. It's better that people have no reason to question us than if we have a good excuse."

"There's not much excuse for a Genin team to be running around the Intelligence Division, no matter how you spin it," Arashi mumbled. "We can't get caught."

"Exactly." He tapped the desk next to his scroll. "So, I figured I'd test out this genjutsu I've been working on for a while."

"Alright. What does it do?"

"Well," he eyed her, "Normally I think you'd complain since it requires me painting the jutsu onto our bodies, but since you're already covered in paint for some reason-"

"Yeah, well," she interrupted him, "How long until you can have your jutsu ready?"

"A few minutes," He pulled out several brushes and canisters of paint. "Assuming you're not ticklish and you don't squirm."

She gave him a flat look.

Daisuke worked quickly and the strokes of his brush were on point. Within a few minutes, his jutsu was painted across her arms, torso, legs, and face. The paint was imbued with a dense amount of chakra. She watched him finish up with Akio and then add a few last touches to the jutsu on himself. It fascinated her to see genjutsu channeled through a medium like paint.

"Okay, so," Arashi's lips thinned into a line. "Should we leave some clones in here or something? Just in case someone looks in here?"

"Duh." Daisuke looked at her like she was daft.

She glared at him, but did not pursue an argument. They settled for nasty looks, instead.

"We should hurry," Akio interrupted them.

They each made a clone and left them in their place. Daisuke grabbed Arashi's right sleeve and Akio's left. Her breath caught in her throat when she felt his chakra wash over her own and encase her body.

"What will this do, again?"

"Basically make us invisible," Daisuke whispered.

"Oh."

When they stepped into the hall it was time for the shift change.

In order to keep from leaving an opening in their ranks, their shift change was done in intervals. Not everyone left at once. It was staggered and everyone was supposed to be aware of their surroundings. The Intelligence Division was integral to the safety of their hidden village and precautions had to be taken. If not for their connection with Ibiki, Arashi's squad would not have been allowed inside the building, let alone left unsupervised in an office.

Everything in the Division was serious. The color scheme was gray, white, and more gray. There was nothing cheery to be seen. More often than not, the members worse their masks even when there were no civilians in sight, so there was not even a sense of familiar camaraderie. At least not at first glance.

When the first ANBU member exited a room and walked next to them as they made their way down the hallways, it made Arashi's knees weak. Her heart hammered against her ribs in a sickening rhythm. If they got caught, they would be in immense trouble. Three pairs of anxious eyes bore into the mask of the Black Ops member. They were each as pale as if they had seen a ghost, but the thrill of the adventure kept them on course.

In one of the rooms they were approaching, she felt a signature moving toward the door. She tugged on Daisuke's arm and moved for them to shift to the left. Quietly, they stepped in unison to the left and narrowly avoided brushing into another member as he stepped out. The two members walked wordlessly together.

Arashi always got similar impressions from a seasoned ANBU; bloody hands and heavy consciences. If the opportunity to join the Black Ops ever presented itself to her - not that she thought she would ever be good enough - she knew she would decline. She did not possess the heart, the determination, or the will to engage in a life style as hard and demanding as theirs.

A lot of them seemed more like husks than people.

Each of the Genin stepped as lightly as they could as they followed them. They watched the two elite shinobi, each with their breath held until they turned and walked down a different hall. They continued that routine until they found their way into the archive section and into a room with a single member.

He looked to be in his twenties. His hair was brown and cut short. He wore a standard ANBU uniform, but for some reason he had taken his mask off and laid it to the side. He sat in front of a computer with his chin resting in one of his palms as he watched some video footage.

"Watching paint dry on a wall would be better than this," he mumbled.

_And that's definitely the rookie._

Daisuke grinned at his teammates and released the jutsu.

The rookie squealed when the young shinobi appeared around him. His hand flew to a kunai and he rolled out of his seat and across the room for distance. His expression turned from surprise to annoyance when he saw that his would be attackers were not assailants at all. Instead of people out to steal the country's most sensitive secrets, it was three Genin - all of them covered in paint.

"You've got to be kidding," he muttered and slid his kunai back into a holster. "Do you know how much trouble I could get you kids into?"

Arashi mustered her best look of ignorance and tilted her head to one side. Daisuke laughed and waved the warning off. Akio crossed his arms across his chest and stared the rookie down.

"I have never felt like I've been taken less seriously than I do now."

Daisuke nudged Arashi.

_I guess it's my move._ She took the rookie's hand in her own and stared up at him with puppy dog eyes, "ANBU-san, could you show me a trick or two?"

"Whoa, I've got stuff that I need to do. I can't go running around teaching you guys stuff."

"But," she pouted. "Didn't you just say you were bored?"

A look of embarrassment passed over his face, "Yeah, but-"

Daisuke threw his arm around the man's shoulders - which was an accomplishment with their difference in height - and said, "C'mon, man. Ibiki sensei's busy and we need something to do. You looked like a cut above some of these other guys."

The man looked from the girl that had his hands - her grip was unreal - and then at the boy with his arm around his shoulders, "Yeah, but this is against protocol."

Akio unfolded his arms and stalked forward, "The others usually show us something."

_Nice lie._

The rookie stared at the Aburame for a moment. Akio was unmoving. It was like trying to stare down a stone wall. He was not a normal twelve year old boy in that aspect.

"I just don't think-"

Arashi's attention shifted over to the computer screen, "What's that?"

"Nothing!" The rookie's free hand shot out and he paused the footage, "Okay, fine, what do you want? It has to be quick!"

"Oh!" Arashi glanced at her teammates. "How about your secret sign language stuff? Ibiki's only shown us a little here and there."

"That won't be quick."

"Just a lesson!" Daisuke agreed with Arashi. "I think that would be cool. Huh, Akio?"

Akio grunted.

"Well, um, okay." The rookie detangled himself from the genin and took his seat back. "Okay, everyone pay attention."

To Arashi's surprise, the rookie was a patient teacher. He explained what each sign meant and waited until each of his impromptu students understood before he went on to the next. Fortunately, the team in front of him were quick learners, as well. A smile even lit up his face a time or two, even though he tried to hide the fact that he was happy to have something else to do other than staring at old footage.

_It's actually kinda nice to do stuff like this with Akio and Daisuke._

Arashi blinked.

Ibiki was no longer in the interrogation room.

All three of their clones were destroyed at the same time.

Ibiki was on his way toward their location.

"Guys." Her voice was high pitched with panic.

Akio and Daisuke were on their feet in a flash.

_Should we run?_ Arashi chewed on her lip and stared at her teammates with wide eyes. _No! That'll just make him madder than he will be already._

The rookie caught on to their behavior, "Oh, he on his way here?"

The Genin nodded in unison.

"Have fun with that." He smiled and turned around to watch the footage. "We'll just say I've been supervising you three so you wouldn't get into anything?"

"Okay." Daisuke agreed. "I guess."

The doorknob turned and Ibiki stepped inside to find each of his students staring at him, sheepishly. They were covered in paint.

"I don't want to know." Ibiki sighed. "Anyway, I have a project for all of you. Come on, we don't have all day. It's about time you observed an interrogation all the way through. Pay attention, because I will be quizzing you."

* * *

"Ohhh, I'm going to throw up."

"Don't you dare, Daisuke!" Arashi hissed. "He hasn't even touched any of his tools yet!"

"This is the first time Ibiki sensei has consented to let us watch a full interrogation," Akio deadpanned. "Instead of fighting you should be observing."

Daisuke looked up from the bucket that he was holding against his chest, "Yeah, well, he was going for the weird pronged one that shocks when you squeeze th-th-"

He dry heaved and Arashi's eyes watered.

"You guys suck."

"I didn't do anything." Akio reminded her.

She stuck her nose up in the air, "I don't care right now. Make Daisuke stop doing that."

Akio ignored her, "Sensei isn't even touching him with anything. He's using intimidation."

Arashi sighed and leaned against a wall. They were in an observation room, behind a window. They could see into the interrogation room and hear what was being said, but the other side could not hear or see them. With Daisuke sick and Arashi heaving along with him, it was probably a good thing.

The guy that was tied to the chair in the next room was holding up better than two of the Genin. Arashi did not know who he was, what his name was, or why he was in there. She was curious about what he did to land himself in Ibiki's hands, but she had a feeling her team was pushing their limits with just observing. Short of being a member of ANBU, not many were privy to what went on in the interrogation ward and even then the two branches kept a form of "need to know" basis in many situations.

"What made you late today, anyway?" Daisuke mumbled.

Arashi tensed, "Nothing."

Two pairs of eyes focused on her.

"I almost got arrested." She held her hands up and announced, sarcastically, "Shenanigans!"

* * *

Once Ibiki released her team for that evening, the first thing she did was track Naruto down. She found him in a part, alone on a swing. His eyes widened when he saw her approaching.

Arashi spoke before he got a chance, "Look, I'm not mad at you, but I am a little disappointed."

He looked away from her and his lips trembled.

She took a deep breath and channeled her best 'mom' voice, "There's nothing and there's no one that will make me give up on you, so you don't have to worry about anything like that, okay, kid? I just don't want you to destroy your future before you even get a chance. You need to be better than these people and that means not retaliating like a little punk and painting up the town - even if it's kinda funny at the time, alright?"

He nodded.

"I'm on your side," she hoped he understood that she meant it. "But I don't want to get stuck cleaning up your messes, okay?"

He jumped off the swing, hugged her, and cried into her stomach, "I'm sorry, Sis!"

Arashi had not felt that small in a long time.

* * *

Arashi had a bit to explain when she made it home late that evening. Her father sat at the kitchen table with her mother.

Ookami discarded the newspaper he had been reading, "So, I got a visit from Fugaku-san earlier."

Arashi froze, "Yeah?"

"He told me what happened to Fuji-san's store and how you were involved in the ordeal. I understand that you feel the need to be there for him since he's never really had that in his life, but when it comes down to it I value you more as my daughter and I don't want anything negative taking root because of that boy."

Her eyes stung with tears, "I'm sorry, daddy. He's just a kid and he doesn't know any better."

As always, the first sign of tears from his daughter derailed the medic nin from his initial purpose and he was backtracking in seconds. Naomi rolled her eyes at the spectacle. After a while they went back to the lecture. It was long, but they meant well and they were gentle with their words.

She just hated how it echoed what Fugaku had told her earlier that day.

* * *


	9. Ambitions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Naruto doesn't understand chakra, Ibiki is a thorough Sensei, and Arashi struggles to find someone to be a test subject for her project.

**Ambitions**

**A Lesson about Chakra**

"I don't get none of this junk, you know!"

Arashi squinted at Naruto and he squinted back.

"You don't get what?"

"Any of that catra junk."

"Catra?"

"Yeah, you know, the stuff you keep studying! Iruka Sensei goes on and on about that junk and I don't get it, you know!"

"Naruto-kun, it's _chakra_ not _catra_. Catra sounds like a bad name for a cheesy monster or something."

"Whatever."

The boy crossed his arms over his chest, threw his nose up, clenched his eyes shut, turned away from her, and sat on the floor. She smothered a laugh with a cough and went over to look at the class work he had spread across the floor in his apartment. She remembered all too well Minato helping her with her struggles with genjutsu, so she was more than prepared to help Naruto. His handwriting was rough, but honestly more eligible than her own, so that was a relief, but as she looked over his work a frown formed on her face.

He really did not get chakra.

"Okay, what do you understand about chakra?"

"You use it to make jutsu work and stuff. I get that, you know, I do!"

"Eh," she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, "There's a bit more to it than that."

He turned and looked at her with bright eyes, "Will you teach me, Sis?"

"I'll do my best."

She spent a couple minutes organizing his class work and moving it to his table. He complained a little, but before long she had him sitting in a chair with everything he needed in front of him. She moved a seat beside him and pointed to a section on his homework.

"Do you know what chakra is made of?"

"Uh."

"Energy." She pointed to the light above them, "Like how electricity is energy. Chakra is made up of physical energy from our bodies, and spiritual energy, so if you strengthen your body and your mind it affects your chakra."

He nodded, but she was not sure if he got it or not, "How does it like, uh, work?"

"Well, you know how blood runs through your veins?"

He nodded.

"There are pathways running through your body, like veins, that carries your chakra. They even have gateways and stuff that they pass through."

"Gateways?" He looked down at his body in confusion. "Like, where?"

"Well, there are eight major ones that monitor the flow of your chakra." she scribbled on some sticky notes.

"Where?" He bounced in his seat. "Where?"

"The Gate of Opening," she stuck a note to his forehead, "Gate of Healing," she stuck one next to the first, "Gate of Life," she stuck one on his back over the spinal cord, "Gate of Pain," she stuck another under the first on the spinal cord, "Gate of Limit," she stuck one on his abdomen, "Gate of View," she stuck one on his stomach, "Gate of Wonder," she placed it under his stomach, "and the Gate of Death," she placed the last one over his heart.

He stared at her, wide eyed and confused with sticky notes all over him.

"Okay," she scribbled on some more sticky notes, "Stick them on me now. In the right places."

He looked at the sticky notes and began to place them on her body. She closed her eyes and waited until he had all of them stuck to her and then she checked over it.

"Okay, close enough." She pulled all of them off and put them back on the table. "What is chakra again?"

"Energy!"

"Right." She looked over at her stack of scrolls and an idea dawned on her. "Hey, what do you say about trying an experiment with me?"

"Experiment?" His interest was piqued. "What kind?"

"It's all about chakra, pathways, and jutsu."

He scrunched his nose up, "No offense, Sis, but I've seen you fighting with that junk and I don't think it's safe."

The child that had been calling chakra _catra_ just called her out and basically told her she did not know what she was doing. Her pride stung. The groundwork was finished. Now she just needed to test it on some live subjects. She did not even need to test the whole body yet - just an arm would be fine. Not many people were willing to let a twelve almost thirteen year old test a medical experiment on them, though. She would have tested it on herself, but if there was a miscalculation and her arm was compromised in any way, she might not be able to undo the seal with just one hand.

She sighed in defeat.

* * *

**What Do You See?**

Ibiki looked over his paperwork. In front of his desk, his three students were seated and looking over a case, as well. Beside the stacks of paper were four meals waiting to be eaten - courtesy of Akio's grandmother - as the boy explained when he showed up with the bento boxes. The smell of the food made it even harder to focus on what they were working on together. It was taunting them.

Arashi was convinced that Akio's grandmother intended that from the beginning.

The case they were all looking over concerned a woman by the name of Keiko. She was caught brought in on the belief that she had been conspiring with a Stone Ninja spy. Her interrogation had been quick and although the Genin had not gotten to see the full thing, they were able to draw conclusions from it. Ibiki's squad came to a decision over the ordeal, but his students were left out in order for him to work with them more on the subject.

Finally, Ibiki pushed his work to the side, "Well, let's eat and then we'll continue."

The Genin tried to disguise their excitement as they each grabbed a box and tore into it. It was hard to make that action seem indifferent, but they tried.

Ibiki swallowed a mouthful of rice, "What did you all gather from the interrogation I let you watch yesterday?"

Arashi picked at her food as she thought of a response, "She did a good job acing like she was not involved with the Stone Nin, but she was originally from their country. I think she was planted in the Land of Fire years ago."

"How can you tell where she's from?"

"Oh, well, by how her signature felt, I guess. There's a difference between affinities and, uh, nationalities. After feeling a few people that were definitely from the Land of Stone, it was pretty clear to me."

"Fascinating." He jotted down a note.

It was a well known fact in their squad that Ibiki kept in-depth records and files on his students.

Once he was done writing in Arashi's file, he regarded Daisuke, "What did you notice?"

"Well, I don't have freaky abilities or anything, but what I noticed was more of what she didn't show. Little, subtle details that are natural about a person's face that they don't even realize they're doing weren't there and it became clearer the ore you pushed and got closer to the mark. She was obviously trying to hide something."

"Good. What about you, Akio?"

The Aburame was quiet for a moment before he replied, "Her body language gave her away. It was all wrong. As soon as she entered the interrogation ward, she was tense like she was about to fight. It showed in her eyes, too. Like she was preparing herself for a battle of wills. She had a heads up about how proficient you are, Sensei, but she gave up fast when she realized you were better than her intel led her to believe."

"Excellent observation. I think that's the most I've heard you speak at one time."

Akio shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

Ibiki grinned at his team, "Good job, everyone. My goal has been first and foremost to teach you to think, analyze, see through deception, and get the knowledge you need. From there you can learn to build deceptions for yourself to use against your enemy. If you know how to see and deal with all the tricks in the book, that means you can use them all for your own purposes, as well. Knowledge is an immense weapon if you know how to use it."

The Genin nodded in acknowledgement.

"Developing this skill will aid you in any specialization you choose to pursue. As your sensei, I am responsible for guiding you down an appropriate path"

"What would you recommend for me, Sensei?" Daisuke ventured to ask.

"If I could cut out your weak stomach, I would say working under me. If we could do something about that, then I'd wager you have a career waiting for you right here. If it's agreeable to you, that is."

Daisuke frowned down at his food, "I'd like that. I'll figure out some way to deal with my nausea better."

Ibiki's attention turned to the kunoichi, "As for you, I get the distinct impression you'll be following after your father's example. Several years of active duty with many different squads before you settle into a career in the hospital. You've been guided pretty well already. You're well on your way to being a commendable support unit. There's nothing wrong with not being on the front lines."

"I have no problem staying away from the front lines." She smiled and peered over at Akio, "I think that's more his forte, honestly. I'm not cut out for that kind of combat."

For a second she was afraid she would be teased for her almost compliment to the Aburame. It was a new thing for her, but despite her constant annoyance at the boys, she wanted them to succeed. They were a team, after all.

"Ah, yes, Akio. With the proper grooming, I can imagine you as a Jounin in the next several years. If you work hard enough at it."

Akio nodded, pleased with that. The other two Genin eyed him with barely concealed jealousy. It was true that Akio was better rounded than they were for solo active duty.

"Oh yeah, what happened with Keiko?" Arashi asked. "What decision did you come to?"

"After my interrogation was done, we had Inoichi examine her. We determined that she was guilty of conspiring with the stone ninja and their involvement with each other was not just a coincidence or circumstantial against her will. Since the shinobi took his own life before we could get our hands on him, we were unable to dig for more information whether the Tsuchikage authorized the movement into our lands our not."

_Somehow it doesn't surprise me that a spy would rather kill himself than end up here,_ Arashi frowned, "What do we do then?"

"We remain diligent."

"Alright."

They finished the rest of their meal in silence. They still had much more to cover that day and they had a group sparring match scheduled before they would call it quits and go home for the evening. Ibiki was a thorough Sensei and although he did not give them a lot of free time to themselves between training sessions, each Genin reaped benefits from his attention. It was easy to respect the man for that aspect of his person, even if he was one of the most intimidating people any of them had ever met and they would never want him as an enemy for many reasons.

"We will continue your lessons in sign language. It could be useful in many situations and you've all shown more than enough interest in learning it," he looked at a To Do list, "Hm. We'll take on another mission the day after tomorrow."

"Ugh, the lower C's are starting to feel like D's now." Daisuke sniffed. "Half of them are like trashy misunderstandings between people and then one gets fed up and hires us to go rough someone else up."

"Or they're using us to get information to either blackmail someone or to keep themselves from being blackmailed," Arashi added.

"I know, right?" Daisuke sneered. "People are so stupid."

"It's their stupidity that keeps you three paid."

"I guess that's true, Sensei." Arashi replied.

Ibiki snorted in amusement and continued to look at his list, "So, sign language, combat training and sparring, and in a couple days taking on another C ranked mission. We're almost done with today."

That was the best thing Arashi had heard all day.

"Except, we'll be doing something a little differently on our missions from now on. In order to get some more training in."

His students eyed him, dubiously.

"Each of you will take a turn directing the group. I still have the final say as your Sensei, but you can think of it as a leadership preparation exercise."

_So, every two out of three missions I'll have to listen to what these guys tell me to do. Great._

Akio perked up, "What about insubordination?"

"We'll treat everything seriously. Insubordination included, so you'd better show respect to each other."

_Fantastic! How could that possibly ever suck with our group..._ Arashi could think of many ways.

* * *

That evening, as Arashi was walking home, Daisuke approached her.

_Okay, what's up with this?_

He cleared his throat when she turned to face him. His amber eyes focused on everything but her and one of his hands fidgeted with a paint brush. Daisuke was not often timid or embarrassed. Her first instinct was to think he was going to say something to tease her, but his behavior was off. She could usually determine when he was going to say something unpleasant by checking to see if he had a disgruntled sneer on his face.

"Ever since Akio got stabbed and nearly bled out, I haven't been able to stomach a lot. I don't know why, but I need to do something about it. It's humiliating," his words were rushed, ""So, I was wondering if I could get an internship at the hospital and how to go about that."

"Wait, what?"

"Look," the boy grimaced at her surprised expression, "I need to not throw up everywhere when someone gets stabbed or cut and I think this is the best way to get used to it."

"So, you want to desensitize yourself?"

"That's pretty much what I just said."

"Sorry," she huffed, "I just can't remember a time you've ever asked me for help."

He sniffed and crossed his arms across his chest.

"I've just been thinking a lot, lately. I'm not like you or Akio. There's pretty much one niche I can fill and not much else."

"You looked at Ibiki Sensei's file on you, didn't you?"

"What? You haven't?

"No, actually."

He raised an eyebrow at her in disbelief, "Anyway, he thinks Akio will make a good soldier - he is way more combat ready than us - and you pretty much never have to worry about being in demand after you've hit Chuunin status, but," his tone faltered, "I've got genjutsu, which is excellent, but my technique with it requires too much set up. Sure, I could infiltrate or interrogate, but in a one on one battle out in the open I'm screwed."

"You and me, both. One throat punch and it's over."

They sighed in unison.

"I might be able to help you out if you can help me with something," Arashi said, innocently.

"I'm not going to be a guinea pig for whatever you've been messing with. I'd rather not get help at all than feel like I _have_ to help you with one of your weird fuinjutsu things. I've never asked you for anything."

Begrudgingly, Arashi said, "I'll talk to my dad and he can talk to someone for you."

* * *

**Divine Retribution**

Ran Ookami was a respected doctor. During the last war he saved many lives and since then he continued helping however he could. As a Jounin he would never officially retire but after years of active combat, being on call in a hospital felt like vacation. He had even switched fields a few times - field medic to obstetrician to pediatrics to being primarily a surgeon. He was well known for his dedication to his village.

His lion-like laughs reverberated off the walls and brought a smile to many faces. Arashi loved shadowing her adoptive father and helping with his patients. All of the nurses and other doctors expected her to be a step behind her father as he did his rounds and even with her busy new schedule it was not an uncommon sight for her to be there.

"I hate the way this place smells."

Arashi looked over her shoulder at Daisuke as he sneered at his surroundings. Somehow, this seemed like divine retribution for all the clothes he destroyed when they were younger, all the nasty remarks, and all of the glares.

_Oh, this is going to be good._

"This was your idea," she reminded him.

"Yeah, well, doesn't mean it's not gonna suck."

"Sh. Be quiet. My dad's waiting."

She knocked on her father's office door, waited a few seconds, and entered. The boy stayed close on her heels. Ookami placed a file on his desk and greeted the two Genin with a wide smile.

"Oh, Daisuke-kun? You favor your father - your mother must be proud of your progress."

The boy mumbled a quiet thank you and although his expression remained neutral, his eyes seemed to smile.

_I vaguely remember his dad walking with him to the Academy when we were like six or seven._

She could not remember seeing him again.

"Well," Ookami's attention shifted back to the file in front of him, "We have a simple procedure to do. It's nothing serious. A little local anesthesia around an abscess and then I'll drain and pack it."

Arashi managed to keep a straight face.

In truth, the process of draining an abscess was simple, but the stench from the puss was sometimes enough to make her eyes water. Normally she had a strong stomach - only set off when someone near her gagged or heaved - but she knew this procedure would have Daisuke in a corner choking on the contents of his stomach.

_This is going to be glorious._

Her father tucked the file under his arm, stood, and led them out of the room. Arashi could not say that she cared for the way it smelled in the hospital. Although it was clean it only reminded her of the wounded or the sick. It did not make her think of a peaceful place, but of the determined staff that worked long hours and dealt with anything that came through their doors.

It was not long before they were in a room with gloved hands, sterile medical tools, and a patient sitting on a table in front of them. The abscess was located on his lower back.

_It could be in worse places._

Daisuke took a seat on a stool and sat next to the door with a trashcan by his foot. It was strange to see him without his sketchbook, paint, holsters, or shuriken pouch. He did his best to seem indifferent about the situation.

_He's really serious about getting over this, I guess._

"How have you been, Jiro-san?" Ookami asked. "Ready to get that thing taken care of?"

"Past time for it." The patient replied.

"We'll be done soon. Settle on your stomach so we can reach your abscess, if you don't mind, Jiro-san?"

Arashi helped her father clean and disinfect the area.

_Oh boy. It's a big one._

"The anesthesia will burn a bit before you go numb," Ookami warned him before he picked up the syringe. "It'll be over soon, though."

Jiro hissed through his teeth, but managed to stay still as the medication was injected into the inflamed section of his back.

"Good," Ookami whispered, "Now for the incision."

Arashi handed him a scalpel and an ample amount of gauze. Her father pressed the tip of the scalpel into his skin and gently made the cut. Immediately, a yellowish brown pus began to flood out. He used the gauze to catch the flow and she gave him more to use. It was not long before the stench of rotting flesh and infection filled the room.

_It'll smell like this in here all day now._

She tried to not focus on it. There was nothing pleasant about that situation. A sense of pride in her father's calm manner rushed through her. She hoped to someday be as comfortable in the profession as he was.

"Not long now," he announced as he discarded the used gauze and grabbed more. "How are you holding up, Daisuke-kun?"

Silence.

Both Ookami and Arashi looked over to check on the boy. He watched the procedure with the same neutral expression on his face, but there was a few beads of sweat on his forehead like he was concentrating with everything in him to focus.

The kunoichi took a step toward him, "Are you alright?"

His attention shifted to her.

"Daisuke?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but instead threw up.

All over Arashi.

Silence resounded in the room.

"Well," Ookami hummed, "I haven't seen projectile vomit like that in _years_. Maybe we should call a priest to take a look at you, Daisuke-kun."

Divine retribution.

* * *

**Live Testing**

"So, Kazika, do you wanna play a game?"

"Game?"

The boy stared at her with bright eyes and a toothy grin.

_I'm going to hell._

Arashi did not want to use her little brother as a test subject. He was not old enough to know what he was getting himself into. On the other hand, she could not think of any reason the experiment would go wrong. It just needed to be tweaked and in order for her to adjust it appropriately, she needed to see how it would react to a living body. Applying it would be a challenge by itself.

"What kind of game?" The boy bounced around her.

"I'm going to draw on your arm and do something really cool."

The boy scrunched his face up at her.

"Don't worry, I'll let you draw on me, too!"

He thought about it for a moment and nodded, "Okay!"

She whisked her brother away to her room where she had everything waiting. One perk of using her brother was that she was familiar with his signature and had been around him enough that mapping out his chakra system was relatively simple. She took his arm, wrote the seals across his skin, and rechecked her work twice.

"When can I draw on you?"

"In a few minutes. Now hold still."

It was a magical moment. She had been dreaming of putting her idea into action after all of the months she worked on it. She pulled out the scrolls in which she had already sealed the healing ninjutsu along with the tourniquet failsafe and after a few moments she transferred and sealed it into Kazika's arm.

What she had failed to tell the child was that it would sting.

Tears sprang into the boy's eyes, but he fought them back, "My legs hurt."

She blinked and looked at his arm, "I didn't touch your legs."

"I can't feel my legs!"

"I'll fix it, you cry baby." She laughed it off as she quietly panicked.

"I'm going to tell mommy!"

_Uh oh._

"Only babies go running to their mommies. You're not a baby anymore, are you? I thought you were a big boy, but I guess not."

Kazika glared at her through his tears.

"Just be quiet for a minute. I'll reverse the jutsu and do a couple corrections. I must've been off by a little bit."

_No biggie. Just a small miscalculation._


	10. Be Ready

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Young Itachi is lovely, Mealybugs, stuffy restaurants, and a step toward destiny.

**A Gift of Knowledge**

"What?!"

Arashi's thirteenth birthday came and went. As usual, her parents showered her with gifts and spent an evening being a family - which was hard with their schedules. Ookami was a workaholic, Naomi spent most of her time running her salon or chasing after Kazika, and Arashi was almost never home. Then, on a day when their free time lined up, Itachi met her at a cafe for a meal. As always, he listened to her with varying degrees of amusement as she ranted about her life and laughed at her own bad jokes.

He was a subtle guy and if a person did not know how to read the slight movement of his eyebrows or the way that the corners of his mouth quirked, then they would be at a loss and unable to read him at all.

"You're serious?"

"Of course."

His signature flared with amusement. Arashi stared at him, dumbfounded. Well after their meet up at the cafe, he found her and told her he had a surprise for her. He was in his ANBU garb, so she assumed that he just got off duty, but then he led her to the door leading into the Hokage's office.

"You're telling me you talked to Hokage-sama and got his permission for me to use his _personal_ library?"

"For your research. You'll have to be monitored, of course, and you'll be kept away from some of the more sensitive forbidden jutsu, but now you can have access to material otherwise kept away from public use."

Arashi opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Instead, she squealed and threw her arms around him. How could she express the wild feeling of shock, disbelief, and thrill she was overcome with at that moment with _words_? He was a little taller than she was, so it made it easy for her to muffle her squeals into his shoulder.

Itachi's eyes softened and he smiled as he returned the embrace, "I know it's late for a birthday present-"

"Birthday present?" She blinked - she had a vanity covered in perfumes, lotions, and trinkets that he gave her through the years, "This is the best present I've ever gotten from someone in my life. You're unreal!"

"Don't thank me," he stepped away from her and motioned toward the door, "Hokage-sama wants to speak with you."

Her giddiness was dampened by nervousness, but she squared herself. Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, was much like the village's grandfather. He visited the young students in the Academy, visited orphans, took the time to speak with his subordinates if they requested a meeting, had a soft spot for Naruto for reasons that were illegal to discuss, and had seen the village through dark times. With that in mind, she opened the door and stepped inside.

He sat behind a desk with his pipe in his hand. The tobacco smoke wrapped around him and drifted through the room. The white and red of his robe made him look almost like a specter. His face was weathered from all of his years, but kind despite the hardships.

He spoke first, "I've been told about the technique you're working on, Arashi."

Her eyes drifted to the desk and widened. In front of him were copies of all her hard work, except in Itachi's handwriting. He had been keeping track of it much closer than she realized.

"It's not every day someone so young is as gifted in fuinjutsu," the Hokage continued, "With Itachi's vote of confidence in your abilities, I've decided to help you. There is great potential in this technique."

Arashi could hardly breathe, "Thank you, Hokage-sama!"

"It could save lives. Someday, it could be your legacy. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama," she bowed, "I will do whatever it takes to not let this go to waste. I've worked too hard to back down now."

He smiled.

"I look forward to seeing your progress. Itachi will monitor you this evening."

* * *

When she stepped out of the office, she smiled at her friend and together they walked to the library. As soon as she was inside, she walked around, peering at the well organized collection. There was just the two of them inhabiting it - although she knew there were people monitoring it from the outside. The amount of jutsu and techniques around her made her dizzy.

_This is just amazing._ She spun in a circle on her toes. "Itachi-kun, thank you!"

Even though Itachi wore a mask and stood at the back of the room, out of sight, she was thrilled. Without a doubt, he was her dearest friend. He watched her as she flitted from one area to another, looking through all of the scrolls and books for information that would be useful.

It tugged at her in the most nostalgic of ways. She felt almost like she was a small child meeting him for the first time again. Her psyche always linked the event with the taste of juice and onigiri. It was a shame that she did not have any hidden on her person at that moment, but she did have some of Uruchi's senbei tucked away that she would share with Itachi that evening.

"On your birthday I'm taking you to the nicest Kaiseki restaurant in Konoha and I'm paying for everything!"

Arashi disliked Kaiseki restaurants because going to one ended up being an all evening event, the food was expensive, she always over ate because of the excessive courses in the meal, and she felt self conscious and unsophisticated every time she stepped into one. The issue with that was that Itachi liked them and her dislike of them often disqualified Kaiseki restaurants from their list of options when they got to meet up. It made her feel selfish and she was not alright with that. He made her want to be a better person.

Itachi's signature flickered, pleasantly - he was _very_ pleased with himself.

* * *

**Mealybugs**

Arashi wiped sweat from her brow and reached for her canteen. She leaned against a tree for its shade as she took a drink of water. Daisuke and Akio stood near her as they all caught their breath. Ibiki stood in front of them, his trench coat discarded for their sparring lessons. Today they were in a forested training area. He was sure to switch them between training within the village and in the more secluded areas so that they would be accustomed to different terrain.

"Well, that's it for today," Ibiki announced, "I have some work to finish this evening. We'll meet in my office tomorrow, same time as today."

"Yes, Sensei," the Genin acknowledged together.

Once he was out of sight Daisuke excused himself, "See you tomorrow, Akio - Shi-Shi-chan."

Akio grunted and Arashi offered him a quick wave.

_He's been using that stupid nickname since he puked all over me._

Even after his bad experience during the medical procedure, Daisuke continued shadowing at least one day a week. It became painfully clear that the boy had a very weak stomach, but he was making strides in the right direction.

"Arashi, before you leave, I want you to do something for me."

The kunoichi froze and looked over at Akio, "Like what?"

It had been a while since he last spoke to her directly. In fact, she was fairly certain he spoke to her only when necessary. He was quiet anyway, but she knew most of it stemmed from the mutual dislike between the two.

"Stab my arm."

She blinked, "Will I get swarmed by bugs?"

"No. Not this time."

She pursed her lips and squinted at him, "Why do you want me to stab you?"

"I'm trying to test a new jutsu."

"Couldn't you get Daisuke to do this for you?"

"If it fails then you can heal the damage."

"Well, that does make sense."

"Why are you so hesitant? I thought you'd enjoy trying to hurt me."

She threw her nose up, "I don't want to hurt anyone."

She _felt_ him give her a funny look through his sunglasses.

"Maybe you're in the wrong profession if that's the case."

"Okay, _fine_ ," she relented, "So, you want me to cut you?"

He nodded and held his arm out.

"But, it'll ruin your coat sleeve."

His eyebrows rose above his shades, "I have more coats. Just cut me."

_He'd better not pull anything weird on me._ She slid a kunai out of the pouch on her hip, "You ready?"

He nodded.

_This will be... interesting._

Arashi slashed at his arm - fully expecting to leave a nasty laceration - but instead her kunai struck something solid and would not move. Her eyes went wide.

_Oh geez, is it stuck in the bone?!_

She glanced up at Akio's face to find that he watched her with a smirk. People typically did not have such a smug expression when there was a blade buried in their bones. She grabbed the handle with both hands and managed to pull it free with a grunt.

She chewed on her lip for a second before she asked, "Are you, uh, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Try to cut me harder."

"You're going to tell me what you're doing."

"You're difficult," he mumbled. "It's a jutsu."

"What _kind_ of jutsu. Did I not hurt you just then?"

The set of his mouth hardened, "I'll show you."

He unclasped his coat and slid his arm out of the sleeve. All over it were white insects with a wax filament coming out of their bodies. The filaments intertwined and held them together. Her skin crawled, but fascination kept her from pulling back. She had never seen bugs like these before. He watched her lean toward his arm and gawk. He was tense like he was getting ready to brace himself for a punch.

"What kind of bugs are they?"

"They're a type of mealybug."

"Okay - what are they doing and why can't I cut through them?"

"Well," he relaxed a little, "The filaments on their body grow and become stronger as they feed on my chakra. If I send them a burst then they act like armor and can even hold an attacker still, like when you had to struggle to get your kunai back."

The sight of the bugs wriggling on his arm made the hair on the back of her neck stick up, but the usefulness of the technique was undeniable.

"Does it require a lot of chakra?"

"No."

She glanced up to see how much more daylight they had. It would be getting dark before too long. She readied her kunai.

"Okay, so, you want me to cut you harder this time?"

He slid his arm back into his coat.

"Yes. As hard as you can."

She threw her weight into her next attack - but she got no farther than she did the first time. If anything, it made it even harder for her to pull free. Akio nodded in approval.

"Let's try it in a sparring match."

She held up a hand, "First off, you're faster than me. Second, you're stronger than me. Third, none of my jutsu are offensive."

"I won't use any of my bugs to attack you. Just come at me from different angles so I can get used to using them in different areas on my body."

Her lips thinned into a line, "Okay."

She tightened her grip on the kunai and waited until he nodded.

_He's going to block each of my attacks and try to hold me still with those bugs. If I used a chakra scalpel, those things couldn't do anything, but that's not what he needs help testing. Kunai it is... Here goes nothing._

She lunged at his other side and he blocked her attack with his forearm. The filaments held the kunai in place - but with her momentum she pivoted behind him with a new kunai in her hand.

Akio stood still as she sliced through the back of his coat.

_Oh man._

What she could see of his back was covered in more of those insects.

She leaped back and chewed on her lip.

"Let's do that a few more times," he called over to her. "It will give you a chance to work on your speed and reaction, too."

They repeated the routine several more times until the sun completely set and the only light was from the moon. Arashi was drenched in sweat from the exercise and her legs felt like wet noodles from the day of training.

Akio adjusted his sunglasses and shifted his weight between his feet, "My grandmother is waiting for me. I need to go."

"Alright," Arashi replied, breathlessly. "See you tomorrow."

He turned and started on his way home.

_Maybe.. he's not so bad, after all._

It dawned on her that she had never heard him mention his parents.

_Hm.._

She remembered all too clearly how Daisuke reacted when her father mentioned his dad. She decided to make a quick stop by the Hokage's library to check some records she noticed on a prior visit. If she as quick it would only be a short detour before she went home.

* * *

Arashi searched until she found them - a listing of all the deaths in the village as well as records for the Aburame and Kurama clan. The Kurama clan was tiny so it did not take long for her to locate Daisuke's parents. His mother was still alive, but his father had passed away. Her eyes widened when she saw the date.

His father died the day that the Kyuubi attacked the village.

All at once it made sense that she no longer saw the man walking his son to the Academy. In her grief over losing Minato and Kushina, she did not notice Daisuke dealing with his own loss. The thought of losing Ookami was enough to make Arashi sick.

_I've been oblivious._

She pushed the Kurama records to the side and grabbed the Abruame's. The clan was larger and had been more active over the years, so it took her longer to locate Akio's parents. Both were deceased. She felt numb as she checked the death dates. His father died almost a year before the Kyuubi attack, but his mother was another victim of the demon.

_So that's why he's only ever mentioned his grandmother._

The memory of attacking him in the playground rushed in front of her eyes and guilt seared her conscience. It was not long before that incident that Akio lost his father.

_It's.. It's not okay, but maybe his bullying stints were just his way of feeling like he was in control of his life after losing so much?_

Arashi put everything back into their places. Her questions were answered, but the light that they shed did not bring her satisfaction. She continued her research with a frown on her face. She had a lot to do, but her thoughts were elsewhere that night.

* * *

**Kaiseki Cuisine**

Arashi was used to a quick and busy lifestyle.

She was so used to cramming to get everything she could into a day that taking the time to thoroughly enjoy a meal made her feel like she was wasting invaluable time. She could name ten things she needed to do right off the top of her head without having to consider it. When she stood still for more than a couple minutes, she felt uneasy.

She slipped into something nicer than her normal attire and stared at herself in the mirror. The kunoichi was dark under her eyes from all the late nights she spent pouring over documents. Her mother peered into her room and cooed.

"For Itachi-kun's birthday?"

"Yeah."

"Where are you going?"

"You know that Kaiseki place that Naruto vandalized last week?"

Naomi put a hand on her hip, "What? Did they finally get all the paint and traps cleared out?"

"Erm, yeah, we're going there."

Her mother grinned, conspiratorially, "Oh, he'll like that."

"I thought so, too, or I wouldn't have offered. I have so much on my plate to take care of-"

"If you keep worrying over all those scrolls, you're going to be a wrinkled hag before you even find a husband, sweetie. Those bags under your eyes are scary."

Arashi gave her mother a flat look, "You are terrible, Mom."

The woman cackled and walked out of her room.

When she and Itachi were finally seated, she looked around at their surroundings. It boasted a beautiful atmosphere. They had a perfect view out into the garden and there was a koi pond that spanned from right below their window all the way across the area with a bridge running over the middle of it. She wondered how bad it looked after Naruto was done with it and how long it took them to restore it to its previous condition.

She tore her attention off the scene and grinned at Itachi, "Happy birthday, by the way."

His eyes softened.

Before long, they brought out the first course of the meal.

_And the work begins._

Course after course, she tried to remember her manners. It was too easy for her to over eat and not pace herself correctly in places like this. The whole time she ate, she tried to sneak glances toward Itachi - who seemed even more pensive than normal - until she gave up and started watching the koi swimming in the pond.

Two fish in particular caught her attention. One that caught the light and shimmered like gold and another that was an aquatic cow of a fish that was red and white.

_I wish I could throw some food to them. Little monsters will eat anything._

"You're restless."

She blinked and regarded Itachi, "What?"

"You keep shifting and looking at the fish."

"Oh," her face burned, "I love koi."

The corner of his mouth quirked.

She got the distinct feeling he saw right through her excuse, "I'm just not used to _this._ "

"I understand," he peered into the pond, "Which do you like the most? The large red and white or the golden one?"

_He's freakishly good. Was I that obvious?_ She turned her attention back to the fish, "I like the red and white the best, I think. It's very vibrant. It would be nice to have a koi pond someday."

"I see," he took a bite of his food and swallowed before he continued, "You should try to get more rest, Arashi-chan."

Her hands automatically went to the bags under her eyes, "That bad, huh?"

He chuckled - which gave him a boyish charm not often seen.

"I am a delicate flower!"

His grin deepened.

She crossed her arms and pouted. _Hmph. See if I ever pay for us to come to this place again, Itachi-kun!_

The boyishness faded away and was replaced with the same pensive expression, "Don't you think it's lovely, though?"

She leaned forward a little, "What is?"

"The meaning of this place and what it brings to focus. Every experience is fleeting. It is not about the food so much as it is about where we are and when we are," he explained, "Breathe, Arashi-chan, and enjoy this evening with me. We will never get it back."

As she watched him talk, she did not see a twelve year old boy, but a person well beyond his years. In that moment Arashi realized she would sit through any amount of tedious meals to hear him speak like that.

"You're right. I don't mean to seem so anxious." She motioned toward the garden, "But it _is_ beautiful out there. Looking at the pond calms my nerves."

He hummed to himself and commented, "Nature shows beauty without the vanities people mix into the perceptions of themselves. Beauty in its natural state is imperfect, it is incomplete and it is always changing."

_Maybe I don't mind this place so much, after all._

* * *

**Be Ready**

The birds chirped cheerfully as Arashi walked to the Intelligence Division. It was early in the morning, but her body was used to the schedule now. It had been roughly two years since she became a Genin and Ibiki was very structured. It was fascinating to her how the whole village seemed to be asleep early in the morning and then all at once it would come to life as everyone emerged and went about their lives.

As soon as she made it to Ibiki's office, she took a seat in front of his desk. He was already there and reviewing some more paperwork. She did not bother to ask. Many times it regarded something she technically was not authorized to know, so she sat in silence until Akio and then Daisuke arrived. Once everyone was seated, Ibiki filed away what he was looking at and turned his attention to his squad.

"Since you three are from shinobi families, I am sure that you are all familiar with the term: Chuunin Exam."

"Yeah, of course," Daisuke replied. "My mom's told me stories about hers."

"Grandmother has interesting memories of her own," Akio added.

Arashi felt like the odd one out. She had heard of the Chuuin Exam - every time it was held in Konoha the final part was staged in the arena in the village and the stadium was always packed with villagers and people from other countries. It was a huge event that brought in tourists and foreigners. Her mother would always get into a tizzy about all the new people and business. She was a social butterfly. Her father would complain about all the knife wounds and bar fight injuries he had rolling into his ward. He found the spike in violence to be senseless.

Not once did Ookami tell her stories about his experience with the Exam.

In fact, he had never told her stories about any of the dangerous events in his life. None of the exams, none of the battles, and absolutely nothing about the last war he fought in. Now that she understood the hardships he must have faced and the people he must have lost, she did not have the heart to ask him. She really had no clue what to think of it, while her two teammates had an idea of what to expect.

"You three have been excellent students," Ibiki went on, "I have been nothing but pleased with you and I can honestly say that I am proud to have you as my students. I had my doubts at first, but each of you has proven to be diligent and determined. I am enrolling you in the next Chuunin Exam. It will be held here in three months."

Arashi's eyes widened.

_I didn't expect to hear this kind of news this morning._

Akio smirked while Daisuke beamed.

"Don't get too cocky. The real work is about to begin. For the next three months I'm going to work you three to the bone. This is no laughing matter. Many people have been maimed, disabled, and some have even died from previous Exams." He pinned each of them with a stern look. "Ever since the last war ended, the life of a Genin has been a sheltered experience. You will be facing enemies and challenges you've never had to face before. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Sensei!" they chorused together.

"Good. I will be giving you the evening off to rest and to prepare for the next three months. Do not expect me to go easy on any of you. We will meet here tomorrow morning at the same time. Be ready."

Arashi left the building and headed straight for the Hokage's library. Every fiber of her being burned with determination.

* * *

All around Arashi were open books and scrolls. A well of ink and a brush sat by her side. Her stomach was in a knot of anticipation. The light from the setting sun illuminated everything in the room with an orange glow. The kunoichi ran the tip of her kunai across the skin on her forearm.

A warm sensation flooded the area and the flesh mended itself back together before she was even done making the cut.

_Oh, I'll be ready._

* * *


	11. The Chuunin Selection Exam Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arashi's team takes on the written portion of the Chuunin Selection Exam. Arashi meets a Stone ninja named Satoshi

**The Written Exam**

Ibiki's words rang in Arashi's ears.

_"Genin are the grunts of the ninja world. They lack the skill and experience to be trusted leading a squad on a mission. They take orders and nothing else."_

She tied her hitai-ate around her forehead and double checked to make sure all of her supplies were fully stocked.

_"But as they gain experience and follow the example set by their Sensei, they begin to change."_

Her eyes caught a reflection in the mirror she kept in the corner of her room. If her mother had been around to see her, she was sure the woman would have referred to her as a little thinner in the face and lankier than she had been before. For a second, she did not recognize herself.

_"Being a Chuunin is not about the sheer power a shinobi possesses, but the mindset he or she develops. As a Chuunin your leadership skills and how well your squad complies to your orders are your greatest weapons."_

She picked the kunoichi music box up and stared at it, thoughtfully. It was a silly memento, but it reminded her of the first kind act her teammates performed for her and it all stemmed from their first C ranked mission. Even if she would rather kick herself than admit it, it made her think almost fondly of the two boys. She tucked it away into her pack, hoping it would be a good luck charm of sorts.

_"You have to be ready to take the lives of your squad and the honor of this country on your own two shoulders. You have to be prepared to make hard decisions."_

She tied her medical pouch around her waist and tucked several more scrolls away. She had to be ready for whatever was going to be thrown at them.

_"A Genin - a grunt - isn't cut out for it."_

She took a deep breath to refocus her thoughts.

_"But I am not the Sensei of a team of grunts."_

Arashi walked out of her bedroom.

_"Come back to me as Chuunin."_

It was almost time.

When Ibiki said that the next three months of training would be intense, he meant it. He hardly gave his squad a chance to catch their breath and everything they did together had a lesson behind it. While other squads grew to know their Sensei's soft spots, all her team learned was the depth of Ibiki's stern and serious nature. Nothing that they did together was lighthearted.

Not that they had not caught him shooting a proud glance in their direction when they did something right, or given them an occasional extra day off if they had the nerve to ask him. He was a difficult person to read, but that was exactly what he wanted. He was their Sensei and they were his subordinates. They were not friends.

_I wonder if anything would be different between me and Ibiki Sensei if I became a Chuunin? Would he still treat me like a student or more like an equal?_

She stepped into the kitchen where her father was finishing breakfast. Naomi and Kazika were visiting another country - a matter of business for the woman. She was getting new products and supplies and trying new things for her salon. Because Ookami stayed so busy with his work, she chose to take the young boy with her. They left with a hired group of shinobi to escort them with a group of merchants on their way to the Mist.

Arashi would be lying if she said she was not jealous she could not travel to different places before she was a Genin. Being a member of the military tended to complicate traveling to the other Lands, even if it was just paranoia that something would happen. Her father was not the most thrilled when Naomi announced her plans, but after coming to an agreement over the escort he was satisfied.

She cleared her throat, "Dad?"

"Hmm?" he placed a plate of food on the table near her.

She absentmindedly noted that she felt Itachi's signature nearby, but pushed that thought away, "Do you have any advice?"

He thought for a moment and sighed.

"I'd rather you never grow up, to be honest, but because I can't stop you from doing so, I guess the best piece of advice I can give you is to be very careful. It's your team against every other team there. Read between the lines and be sure that you take care of yourself. You're a medical ninja and that," his expression was sad, "That makes this ordeal even more dangerous for you. Do you understand?"

Her throat tightened, "I do."

"Well," he looked away, "I'm sure Morino-san has done an excellent job preparing you."

There was a knock at the door. Her father nudged the plate of food toward her and went to see who was visiting them so early in the morning. She already knew who it was, so she practically inhaled her food - she did not want to be late. She placed her plate next to the sink and left the kitchen.

Itachi stood by the door, speaking with Ookami. She shot him a curious look.

"I wanted to see you before the Exams," the boy explained, "We will probably be too busy to see each other for a while, so I thought I would walk with you this morning."

"Oh, okay." She hugged her father, "I love you, Dad."

"You'll do wonderfully," he assured her. "Just be safe."

* * *

They walked in silence through the village. Her home was located on the outskirts, so it was a relatively lengthy walk to the Academy where the first part of the Exam was being held. She enjoyed his companionable silence. The air had a chill to it, but not enough to make her uncomfortable. If anything, she felt thrilled and refreshed that morning.

Once they were close to the Academy, she saw that Akio and Daisuke were already there. They leaned against the side of the building. She stopped grabbed Itachi's sleeve.

"Good luck, Arashi-chan," he told her, quietly, "Watch your back and don't trust anyone."

"I'll be careful."

His eyebrows knit together and softened his countenance.

"What? Don't you believe in me?"

A second of discomfort flashed across his face before it was replaced once again with his resting passive expression.

"I have confidence in your abilities. Of course."

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and gave him a hug. She never quite grew out of the phase of hugging everyone from when she was a child.

"Don't worry too much," she whispered into his ear. "They're waiting for me, so I should go."

He watched her join her team and then left to start his own day.

"Geez, the two of you still hang off of each other like you did when you were little kids," Daisuke mumbled.

Akio snorted, but chose to not comment.

"He's my friend," she shrugged. "Anyway, we have other things to worry about."

They fell back into their normal formation with Arashi in the middle and one of the boys at each of her sides. She was still not entirely sure what to expect, but the unknown possibilities of the experience excited her. They hit the stairs and made their way up to the third floor where they would have to register one last time before the Exam officially began.

"I wonder how many other people will be here," Daisuke whispered.

Arashi could feel a mass of signatures nearby, "A lot."

"That's vague." Daisuke sniffed. "Can't you give me an estimation?"

She ignored him.

"We'll see, soon." Akio shrugged.

"Ibiki Sensei's around," she commented. "Maybe he's here to give us a final bit of advice."

"He might be around to see how we do, too." Daisuke added.

She shrugged.

When they opened the door to the room they were instructed to go to, they were greeted by the unwelcome stares of all of their competition. Daisuke sucked in a sharp breath.

The vague statement from the kunoichi had been an accurate description.

Now that she was in the room with them, she was almost overwhelmed by the sheer number of signatures from different lands. There must have been close to two hundred people in the room. She was sure there was no more space for even just a single squad. Not only did she pick up on the differences in their nationalities, but they all had their own affinities - not to mention the variations in chakra quantity between everyone. All at once her senses tried to pick up on each signature and then make sense of all the information there.

She took a steadying breath.

_I'm just nervous and trying to analyze these people too fast. I didn't think there would be so many people taking the Exam. This is the largest room in the Academy and it's completely full._

There was a deeper meaning to the Exam than just the potential to be promoted from a Genin to a Chuunin. Performing well could shape the rest of a shinobi's career, as well as garner attention from the lords. If a country's Genin did well and showed off the Land's military prowess then the feudal lords would be more inclined to remember it. It even affected the economy.

Around the room she could see chuunin proctor positioned to monitor everyone there - like sentinels. She recognized most of the faces. As a group, the three made their way over to the sentinel at the front of the room and completed their registration. He handed each of them a separate number and motioned for them to step out of the way if anyone else needed to get to him.

Arashi was thankful for the presence of her teammates as they slid into the mass of people there.

After a while, the sentinel at the front of the room stood up and announced, "We will begin, shortly when the main proctor arrives. In each seat you will find a number. You have all been seated based on your entrance. Find yours."

The room was a hurricane of movement and chaos as everyone searched for their places. Several sentinels made their way through the room to ensure everyone was in the right place. It was a quick process and when everyone settled, Arashi's ears rang from the hushed silence that filled the room.

_Like the calm before a storm._

She peered around to locate her teammates. Akio was somewhere behind her. Daisuke was near the front of the room and to her right. She was near the middle of the sea of Genin.

"Oh, they separated everyone. No safety nets here," a boy whispered by her side.

She looked over at who spoke and raised an eyebrow at him.

"This your first time?"

She started to reply, but stopped. Instead, she look down at her lap.

"Heh! You must be shy. It'll be alright. I'll keep an eye on you since your friends can't."

"Thanks, but it's not necessary."

Something about him was wrong.

He seemed innocent enough in appearance. His hair was a light brown and his eyes were gray like the sky on a rainy day. From what she could tell he was just a little taller than her and perhaps a year or two older. His clothes were simple so that he could move around without them getting in the way. He had a Stone hitai-ate tied around his forehead. There was nothing about his appearance that would have made her feel uncomfortable or intimidated by him.

It was his chakra and the aura he exuded that was repugnant to her.

"Is it because your boyfriend will get jealous?"

She stiffened and peered at him from the corner of her eye, "Boyfriend?"

"Yeah, I saw you hugging that guy before you walked in," he pointed to a window, "I was looking out at the village and saw you down there."

_Why was he watching me?_ Her skin crawled, "He's just a friend. I can take care of myself."

"Heh, I see. My name's Satoshi. What's yours?"

_Ugh, I don't want to be rude. He's probably just being overly friendly. Uh,_ She blurted out the first thing that came to mind, "If I give you my name, it'll take away any mystery between us."

A predatory glint came into his eyes before he shut them and grinned at her.

_The hell was that?_

No one had ever looked at her that way before.

"You know, you're kinda cute. I bet your mom's a civilian."

She shifted, uncomfortably, "Why would you say something like that?"

"Your hair is really pretty and long," he stated matter-of-factly. "You actually take care of it. Like a civilian that cares about stuff like that."

Her lips thinned into a line, "It's not really your business."

"And your skin," he ignored her, "it looks like porcelain. You're just a little doll!"

Her stomach turned.

Arashi had never experienced a boy flirting with her before, but she was certain what he was doing was inappropriate. Flirting was not meant to make the other person sick. She did not feel flattered. She felt violated.

Satoshi wrapped a lock of her hair around his finger and rubbed the strands with his thumb, "Soft, too."

_Ew._

She leaned her head away from him and tugged her hair out of his grasp.

A door opened and closed as Morino Ibiki entered the room and took his place in front of everyone. His presence made the atmosphere thick with tension. Trying to ignore him would have been like trying to ignore a rabid bear in the room.

"My name is Morino Ibiki and the head proctor over this exam. There will be no fights unless otherwise authorized by a proctor. Any act that could lead to the death of one of the applicants is prohibited in this step of the selection."

_That cheeky jerk! He knew he'd be testing us the whole time._

"Since time is precious, I will get straight to the point. Right now, one of each of your squads is going to be disqualified. Then out of the two left per team, only the one that scored the highest can continue to the next exam."

_What?!_

The room filled with murmurs.

"A Chuunin must be ready to make hard decisions."

People began to stand and move to the front where a sentinel guided them into another room. A hand settled on her shoulder. It was Akio. She looked up at him, confused.

"I'll disqualify myself so you and Daisuke can have a chance."

"Wait! You can't be serious-"

"Think of it as a thank you for saving my life before."

He leaned forward so that she could see his eyes over his sunglasses and he shot a warning glance toward Satoshi.

_So, he noticed the creep, too?_

Before she could say anything else, he released her and walked to the front to be escorted to the other room.

Satoshi nudged her side, "That was sweet of him!"

Out of their squad, Akio was the most well rounded member. If one person had a chance going solo, it was him. Arashi knew that. She and Daisuke depended on having a group to work with, but he could be effective on his own. He was better at combat, he was more intimidating than them, and he could track with his insects if he had to.

"Wait!" She jumped to her feet.

People stared at her like she was crazy as she ran after the Aburame. She shot past the sentinel who marked her name off his list and grabbed Akio's coat sleeve when she caught up to him. He stared at her, incredulously.

"You were the best choice to stay!" She hissed. "There's no way I can face every challenge alone."

Akio's shoulders sagged, "And you think Daisuke can?"

"Oh."

"What were you guys saying about me?" Daisuke sniffed behind them.

They stared at him.

"What? If you guys think I'm capable of soloing this whole Exam by myself, you're both crazy."

_I bet Ibiki Sensei's ashamed right now._

Before long, the room was almost full. Arashi was surprised to see that her team was not the only full group that disqualified themselves. Satoshi's team had done the same thing. Another sentinel separated the partial squads from the full groups as they came in.

* * *

Ibiki smirked at the scant amount of people left in the room with him.

"Alright, all of you and your squads are disqualified! Leave and start on your journey back to your homes!"

They stared at him in shock.

"Step to it! I don't have all day."

* * *

Arashi, Akio, and Daisuke gaped as they were ushered back into the main room and back to their seats. She shot a glance over at Ibiki to see him standing at the front of the room with a smug look on his face.

_I was certain we failed._

Ibiki looked down at a clipboard and snorted to himself. Out of fifty two squads, fifteen were left. Once everyone was seated he placed it on his desk and regarded the Genin.

"Good job, everyone. A shinobi has to be able to see through deceptions." He explained. "The success of the mission is of utmost importance. Above even your own life or the lives of your friends, but you are here to become Chuuin, not Jounin. You need a team to lead - you are not prepared for the life of an elite! Therefore, how can any of you hope to finish your mission if you throw away your squad before it even begins?"

_I guess that makes sense. Why would you need three people in order to enter if you were going to go on alone after that, anyway?_

"Many of you are still here because you were cowards who stumbled across the correct answer without realizing it. You are the sheep," he scanned each face there, "Then, there are some of you who realized the answer and acted accordingly. You are the wolves."

_Ouch. I wonder if he realizes that his own squad accidentally passed that part?_

"First off, before we begin this, I have a set of rules." He picked up some chalk and tapped the board several times, "Listen well because I won't be taking any questions! First rule: with this test you start off with zero points. Your test has ten questions. Your goal is to get as many points as you can by answering the questions. Second rule: pass or failure will be determined by the total points of your squad."

Sentinels went around and placed the test in front of everyone. Arashi scanned over the first page of questions and frowned.

_These questions are no joke. I think I can answer most of them, though._

"And finally, the most important rule. If any of the sentinels catch you in the act of cheating or even suspect you are cheating, then points will be deducted from your overall score. Once you have been caught cheating five times you will automatically fail the test and so will your squad. If you intend to amount to anything, you must behave as exemplary shinobi."

_Fair enough._

"If you fail to answer any of the questions, you will automatically fail and so will your squad. You have one hour. Forty five minutes into the exam you will be given the final question. Begin!"

Arashi picked up a pencil and began working her way through the questions. They were difficult and not what she would have expected for either a Genin or a Chuunin. From the corner of her eyes she noticed people getting edgy. No one was going to do well with this test.

_Daisuke should be fine. He'll cheat his way through like he did in the Academy and the sentinels won't even realize it. Akio, on the other hand, might have some more difficulty._

She finished answering a question and rubbed her temples.

_They'll give partial credit on these, right?_

She looked at the other page of questions. She started to chew on her lips.

_I'm freakin screwed._

She felt something tugging at her hair. She crinkled her nose and looked over at Satoshi. He had a fistful of her hair and he was smelling it.

_Ew! Ew! Ew! Ew!_

Arashi was mortified.

Ibiki dropped a clipboard on the floor, "Hands to yourself, degenerate!"

Satoshi let go of her hair with a grin and went back to writing.

_What the hell?!_ She took a deep breath. _Thank you, Ibiki Sensei._

The Stone Genin by her side made her tense. It was hard enough for her to answer the questions without the feeling that he was going to grab her hair or try to touch her leg under the table. She glanced at the clock and clicked her tongue in annoyance. She did not have time to fret over anything except for the questions on the paper in front of her.

_These questions are terrible, but I think I'm okay. At this rate I should pass it. Hopefully._

Her eyes settled on the last four questions. The main last question was blank and had instructions to wait until the last fifteen minutes of the exam to receive the question from Ibiki. The three before it were what made her pause.

Each question was about advanced genjutsu.

_Well, even if I don't get these, I should be fine._..

She squinted at the paper.

_Wait, is that fine print under the questions?_

The three about genjutsu were weighted differently than the rest of the exam. If she missed them, then she would be losing a higher amount of points than any of the other questions.

_I'm going to fail._

A bead of sweat ran down her face.

_Ibiki, you sadistic bastard. These were meant for me._

She locked eyes with her Sensei and the corner of his mouth rose into a crooked grin.

_You've got to be kidding me!_

She swallowed over the lump in her throat and went back to review the other questions. She had answered them to the best of her abilities. She could not see anywhere that she could squeeze even one more point out of anything.

She took her glasses off and laid them on the table to massage her temples better. A partial headache was threatening to become a full blown migraine. She went to put them back on and found that they were no longer there. She glanced over to find Satoshi wearing them.

"What are you doing?" She hissed and snatched them away.

"Aw, now I don't look bookish anymore."

She wiped them clean and returned them to her face.

_I'm going to scream if he keeps provoking me._

She tried to discretely scan the room. She did not have much time left to complete the test and she had no clue how she was going to answer the last three questions. Everyone seemed to be struggling with the test. In fact, from what she could tell only a couple people in the room seemed to be confidently working their way through.

Her eyes narrowed.

_I recognize their signatures. They're so not Genin. Out of everyone here, they're too comfortable with themselves. Everyone else is freaking out a little._

Arashi noticed several people using different techniques to cheat off the two she noted. Some of Akio's bugs were even scouting it out for answers. She chewed on her lips and looked at her test again. She _needed_ a correct answer for those questions. It was not optional if she was going to pass this part of the exam.

_If I fail and I drag the rest of my team down with me, I will go home and kill myself. Daisuke and Akio will never let me live it down. Ever._

She tried to not throw a panicked look toward Ibiki.

_And I don't even want to think about what Sensei would do to me._

She took another steadying breath.

_Those guys were planted in the room. Cheating isn't an instant disqualification. Ibiki is crazy about gathering information to use. This is a test to see how well we can obtain information._

Her head started to ache.

_I know who was planted. I'm able to track people for miles just from their chakra signature. I can heal life threatening injuries. I can smuggle tons of things with me via fuinjutsu... but I have no way to get the information from the guy I'm supposed to get it from and he's just five feet away from me._

She wanted to cry.

_I've never had to cheat like this. I'm the joke of the team._

She hid her face in her hands and gradually the panic turned to acceptance. Serenely, she took her pencil and began to write under the three genjutsu questions. She tuned out the sound of the clock ticking as she threw all of her concentration into it.

Ibiki checked the time and announced, "It's now time for the last question."

Arashi tightened her grip on her pencil.

"But, before that," he started a slow walk through the room, "There are two more rules attached to it and a personal warning. You must choose whether or not to answer it. If you choose not to, then your whole squad will fail. If you choose to answer the question and then fail, you can never take this exam again."

Everyone went still.

"If you manage to answer the last question correctly, you will move on to the next exam, but," his hands rose and he slid his bandana hitai-ate from his head to reveal all of the scars and damage, "Then you will be a herd of sheep being hunted by the wolves that have slipped in. How many of you will be torn apart?"

He completed his round through the room and stopped at the front of the class. Disfiguring scars had a tendency to rattle nerves.

"The choice is yours. You can drop out and take the exam next time it comes up or the time after that," he returned his hitai-ate to his head, "Or you can fail or be torn to pieces."

Arashi looked down at her exam and frowned, _Daisuke will do fine. Akio's bugs were around the right person to cheat off. If we're graded together, then what I was able to answer should be enough for us to pass._

"Those of you who will not be answering the final question, raise your hand."

Arashi watched as hands went up and three more squads left the room.

"This is your last chance!" Ibiki warned them.

Arashi leaned back in her chair, _If many more people leave then there won't be enough to do much of anything with._

No one else budged.

"Very well, the rest of you pass!"

* * *

Once the Genin were moved out of the room, Ibiki walked around and collected three tests in particular. If he chose to be honest, then he would admit openly that he expected his team to fail with the first batch of people he disqualified. He expected their pride to get in the way.

He picked up Daisuke's test and his eyebrows shot up. Every question was correct. His eyes narrowed. There was no way that Daisuke knew every answer that well and he had not seen the boy cheat even once.

Genjutsu.

Once he released it, he saw that the sheet of paper was covered in doodles and nothing else.

With a snort of amusement he looked at Akio's. The Aburame had done excellently acquiring the information that he needed from the chuunin that Ibiki placed in the room. It was as he expected.

Lastly, he went to Arashi's test.

She answered most of the questions very well, despite being unable to adequately cheat like most of the other applicants. When his eyes found the last three questions, he paused.

In bold, large letters was written over and over again: **THIS IS TARGETED AND SPECIFIC DISCRIMINATION.**

It had been.

His laughter echoed off the walls.

* * *

_So, next is the Forest of Death?_

Arashi stood with her teammates and stared at the dense forest in front of them. They were the only Leaf squad to made it through to this round. Other than Arashi's team there was one Lighting squad, two Sand squads, two Grass squads, three Waterfall squads, one Rain squad, one Mist squad, and Satoshi's Stone squad.

Twelve teams in total.

In Arashi's hand, she held a Heaven Scroll.

"Daisuke? Akio?" she whispered.

They turned their attention to her.

"I have an idea."


	12. Ready or Not: Here We Come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another team's perspective of a day in the Forest of Death. Meet Tetsu, Jirochi, and Natsuo - a Waterfall squad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a fun chapter for me to write.

**Ready or Not: Here We Come**

_"There's three squads that made it through that you and your team need to avoid, Tetsu."_

Tetsu was terrified.

_"That Mist squad is brutal. Say what you want about how small their military is compared to the other main countries, they pump out impressive swordsmen. I saw those guys at the last exam."_

Testu was not ready to take the exam. She hardly felt like she was ready to be a Genin, let alone a Chuunin. If not for her two teammates pressuring her, then she would have backed out. She was not stupid - timid, yes - but not stupid.

_"The second ones you need to look out for are the Stone ninja. There's something wrong with them. Especially that Satoshi guy. Stay away from them, okay, Tetsu?"_

The campfire burned low.

The shadows were long and they danced around like specters. She held her kunai with a white knuckled grip. Her team stood back to back as they stared out into the night. They could hear something moving around their camp.

_"And whatever you do, there's one team you absolutely need to stay away from."_

"Tetsu-chan," Natsuo whispered, "When we saw your brother's team yesterday, which squads did he say to avoid? Those Stone ninja, the Mist guys, and-"

Her voice wavered, "The Leaf squad."

"Well," Jirochi spoke in hushed tones, "Besides running the hell away from them, your brother didn't really give any advice, did he?"

"N-no."

The fire crackled and flared.

Two yellow eyes - each the size of Tetsu's head - lit up. A low growl came from the creature's chest and a large paw the size of a small tree trunk entered the circle of light. The animal was a lumbering mass of muscle, fangs, and claws.

"J-Jirochi-san, it's a b-bear."

Natsuo's mouth dropped open.

The bear was larger than any animal they had ever seen in person. As it stalked into their camp, Tetsu realized that on all fours the beast was taller than her. It would have easily been three times her height on its hind legs. It was massive, but the detail that made her legs shake was the way that its eyes took everything in. This was not a simple animal.

There was a cruel intellect in its eyes and all of its focus was on her.

The bear went still and time itself seemed to go inert. Tetsu's throat tightened. She knew a life was going to be taken that night, whether it was one of her team or the animal. She could feel it in her bones. It was there to feed on them.

It shattered the silence with a roar and charged.

Tetsu's legs went numb. Each stride that the bear took toward her was a fluid roll of muscle. It was both terrible and beautiful.

A hand grasped her shirt and she was thrown out of the way.

The bear met with Jirochi and Natsuo while Tetsu picked herself up from the ground. In the flurry of activity, someone kicked the fire and sent embers flying through the air. The area lit up like hellfire was consuming everything.

The cruel, yellow eyes flashed from side to side as it swiped with its claws. Jirochi weaved and scrambled to avoid the attacks.

Until his back hit a tree.

"Jirochi!" Tetsu screeched.

Natsuo leapt on its back. He grabbed a fistful of its fur and held on with all of his might. He slashed at it again and again, but nothing would deter the animal.

Jirochi managed to roll away and in doing so freed himself from the tree and the animal. He had some gashes on his arms, but nothing that would kill him. Tetsu ran to his side to help him to his feet.

Natsuo's kunai glinted with blood in the dying light. With a full-bodied shake it threw the boy from his back. He landed in a heap several yards away.

Once again its eyes settled on Tetsu.

Jirochi stepped in front of her and unleashed a barrage of shuriken.

The bear unleashed a blood curdling shriek as they blinded it. It thrashed about - desperate to find its prey - but found nothing. It was finished.

Her teammates stepped toward the bear to end it and Tetsu covered her eyes. She did not have the heart to watch.

Once it was over, Natsuo whistled, "I've never seen a bear like that. We should skin it or something."

"We don't have time to stay around long," Jirochi shook his head. "Let's get some meat from it to eat. We need to find a Heaven scroll or this whole thing was for nothing."

Tetsu shook as she helped them carve into the carcass.

Food was difficult to find in the Forest of Death. Most of the vegetation was poisonous, most of the animals were either huge or venomous, and water had not been easy for them to locate. The trees were beyond the size of any Tetsu had seen surrounding Konoha. They were more like skyscrapers that grew together and intertwined over centuries than normal trees. She had seen a tree larger than the ones there before but never so many in one place.

"C-can we s-stay off the ground tonight?" She asked.

Natsuo wiped blood off his arms, "Yeah, it's worth a shot if we don't get jumped by another one of these monster bear things."

Jirochi nodded his approval.

They did not have long until morning. Although they agreed to shifts so that everyone could get some rest, Tetsu did not wake either of her teammates and watched until the sun rose. She could not rest with the sounds around them. While some might have assumed that the forest came to life during the day, it was actually most active at night. The animals began to hunt, insects swarmed, and enemy squads masked their presences to search for another group to attack.

The Forest of Death lived up to its name.

Tetsu vaguely remembered her Sensei mentioning something about Konoha Jounin using it as a training ground. After being in there for a few days, it did not surprise her. It took all of their survival lessons and a dose of luck to survive this long. They were just rookies, after all, and she knew they had no business taking the exam.

* * *

One thing that made this exam difficult was the scarcity of necessities. Food and water were near the top of the list for that - but they thankfully carried supplies with them into the ordeal that helped them for the first couple days. What made the exam so difficult was the scarcity of other teams, which in turn meant a scarcity of scrolls. At most, only six teams would progress to the next round.

A worried crinkle appeared between Tetsu's eyes.

That was, if the teams could even find each other to fight for scrolls. Twelve teams were released into the forest from different points. They each needed to acquire the scroll needed to complete their set and hurry to the tower at the middle of the forest within a week. In previous years that the exam was held in Konoha and the Forest of Death was utilized, more teams typically made it through to compete with each other.

Tetsu glanced over at her teammates and swallowed over a lump in her throat.

They had finally found another team.

It was a Grass squad. Three guys that were a few years older than them. There was nothing remarkable about their appearance. Each had brown hair, dark eyes, and skin that was tanned from the sun. Their clothing was basic and helped them blend in with their surroundings. She could not tell what their specializations were from their appearance and that made her nervous. She wished she was better at reading people, but she had a hard time picking up on the subtleties of a shinobi's behavior. They were different than civilians. Even being a Genin for a couple years made a person different than a rookie. She was not sure what to make of them.

All she knew was that her teammates had full intentions of ambushing them.

It was not the first time she had hidden under a bush with them. Every student in her Academy had went through basic survival training and they were all expected to know how to conceal themselves. Their Sensei reinforced their old lessons even though the two boys wanted to learn different techniques. The Jounin had the grace to not point out that he would not progress their training until they changed their attitude.

They were childish boys.

Not that they did not have their strong points or charming moments. Tetsu loved her teammates like they were her family. They grew up together. Their parents knew each other. In turn that meant she knew their weaknesses well, despite the show they tried to put on.

"We'll wait until they get a little closer," Jirochi whispered, "Right after they pass those puddles on the ground."

She swallowed once more over the lump in her throat and nodded. They were sprawled out, watching their targets traverse the forest floor. There were tree roots snaking around each other and various plants that were more often than not poisonous everywhere you looked. In just a few moments they would be in range for the ambush. Natsuo placed a hand on her shoulder to offer some support. She hated being as timid as she was, but she was grateful that they did not hate her for it.

The Grass squad stepped over the puddles and her teammates tensed.

"Okay, go-"

Three bodies rose from the pools of water, behind the unsuspecting Grass Genin.

Tetsu's team froze.

Behind their target was the Mist team. One was tall, had brown hair and light eyes. The second was the shortest, his hair was black, and his eyes were dark. The last was in between them in height, had darker skin, and his hair was a strange blue dye job. Tetsu strained to remember what she could of their group during the written exam, but she could not remember much.

_"That Mist squad is brutal."_

In a flash, each of the Grass nin had a katana blade at their throats, before they even realized what was going on.

"Finally!" The tallest of the Mist nin laughed.

"We've been running all over this damn forest for days trying to find someone," the shortest grimaced at their surroundings before he continued, "Good job thinking of this strat, Isao."

"Honestly, we're lucky these guys came along," the tallest, Isao, shrugged, "Besides, this doesn't mean anything if they don't have the right scroll."

"Isao's right, Kenji," The last member of their group spat on the ground, "Just what we'd need. Another group that got jumped by those Leaf nin."

"Oi, look at them. They're walking just fine, Yoshiro. None of the guys we jumped before were getting around this good," Isao replied.

The Grass nin that had Isao's blade at his throat reached for his kunai pouch. Isao's eyes narrowed and he brought his sword down so fast that the wind sang as he slashed through the Grass nin's arm. Muscle, sinew, and bone separated from each other as easily as he could have cut through paper.

Tetsu's stomach turned and she covered her mouth with both hands.

In the same fluid motion Isao brought the tsuka of his sword up and smashed it into the Grass nin's face. His nose shattered and he crumpled to the ground in a dazed mess.

Kenji knocked his captive unconscious in an instant.

The last captive tried to run. Yoshiro smirked and lashed at his legs.

He fell to the ground with a cry of pain and fear. His eyes were wide as he took in what happened to his team. The other two were not going to be up and moving for a while.

"P-please, don't hurt us anymore," he begged.

Yoshiro kicked him. An audible crack from his ribs breaking echoed off the trees and he rolled into the puddles the Mist nin used to hide. The grass nin started to beg again, but he was silenced when Yoshiro placed his foot on the back of his head and pushed his face into the puddle.

"Isao, you find a scroll yet?" Kenji asked as he searched through his captive's belongings.

Tears welled up in Tetsu's eyes as the Grass nin struggled pathetically against the foot holding him down. He was drowning.

"Not yet. Probably on Yoshiro's."

"Eh, don't need to kill the piece of trash," Kenji sighed, "What if it somehow disqualifies us?"

"How stupid," Yoshiro lifted his foot and the Grass nin gasped for air. "I think he has the scroll on him."

"Well, get it, then we'll get out of here. It had better be the right one," Isao spoke as he cleaned his blade.

"Bingo!" Kenji proclaimed, holding up a scroll.

"Good," Isao motioned for them to hurry, "Let's get to the tower before something stupid happens and we have to start this mess all over again."

"Right."

* * *

Tetsu's team ran as soon as the Mist ninja left. Without a word between each other, they ran until they were well out of the area. They only stopped running when Tetsu fell to her knees.

"W-we shouldn't be here," she cried, "We're not r-ready."

Jirochi knelt in front of her, "Calm down."

"We shouldn't be here." She shook her head, "We should l-leave - go to th-the tower - leave the forest - a-anything!"

Jirochi shook her, gently, "Stop!"

"Morino-san warned us!" She refused to stop, "D-Did you see his arm? H-he's going to l-lose it! There's n-no saving it!"

"I'm not okay with this whole thing meaning nothing. We'll find another group!" Natsuo said with as much finality as he could muster.

Tetsu covered her face and cried into her hands.

She hated being weak.

Hours later, after Tetsu's tears dried up, they were once again searching for another team of Genin. She was dejected and neither of her teammates would look directly at her. To say she was ashamed would have been an understatement. She may have only been twelve, but she was a shinobi and the way she acted was inappropriate at best.

"Look!" Natsuo whispered, "Over there!"

Tetsu peered over his shoulder to see where he was pointing. There were two squads gathered around a fire together.

"What I don't get is why a Rain team and a Grass team would be friendly with each other," Jirochi commented.

"Yeah, it don't make much sense," Natsuo agreed, "But they're not looking so hot."

Tetsu squinted. Her teammates were right. Both of the teams looked rough.

"I think we should see if they've got a scroll," Natsuo proposed.

"I don't think they will. They would be fighting right now if they did," Jirochi hypothesized.

"It's still worth a shot," Natsuo coaxed. "We could at least figure out what happened. I don't think they'll attack us or anything."

Jirochi frowned and then nodded, "Okay."

Tetsu followed them as they made their way through the trees and then over to the joint camp. As soon as their feet touched the ground and they showed themselves, one of the Rain nin struggled to his feet and faced them with a kunai in his hand.

"If you want a scroll," the Rain nin bristled at them, "Then you'd better look somewhere else. We don't have one."

Jirochi held his hands up, "Look, I didn't think you guys did. I just wanted to know what was up. We haven't seen two different countries working together since this thing started, so it caught our attention. I'm Jirochi and these two are Tetsu and Natsuo."

The Rain nin relaxed.

"My name's Hideo," he began, "and as for what happened to us? We got jumped and our scrolls were taken yesterday."

Tetsu wet her dry lips and eyed them up. Each of the Genin in front of them seemed to be having a hard time moving. Their faces were gaunt and their eyes darted around as if they were haunted by something. Each of them had isolated dark bruises in similar places - on their arms , legs, and hands - but she could not see anything that would warrant their crippled behavior.

"Eh, did you guys get beaten that bad?" Natsuo interjected, "I mean, you guys don't look too bad."

"I don't know what it is," Hideo explained as he looked down at his body, "But we woke up like this. Every movement burns like we've torn muscles or something, but we didn't do anything to warrant it and we can't remember how it would have happened."

"Well, who did this to you?" Jirochi inquired.

An uncomfortable, haunted look crossed his face and he averted his gaze, "We think it was the Leaf squad."

"You think?" Natsuo blurted out, "How can you seriously not remember who did this to you?"

Hideo bristled, "Look, we woke up this way. We don't remember everything. It all bleeds together and nothing makes sense, alright?"

Natsuo took a step back and looked away.

"My sensei told me before this began that those Leaf Genin were the personal students of Morino Ibiki," Hideo continued, "Sensei also said that Ibiki is over Konoha's Torture and Interrogation wing of ANBU. HIs little group of students have been collecting scrolls. There's usually one or two teams that do that every year the Forest of Death is used and they've made a point to slim down the number of people that will be making it to the next round. He's made some monsters and let them lose on us, is all I know."

Tetsu chewed on her lips, anxiously.

"Have you guys seen any other teams we need to look out for?"

"That Mist team will beat the hell out of you just to do it," Hideo spat, "Came across them abusing a Sand team that didn't even have a scroll."

Jirochi hummed to himself and replied, "We saw them jump a Grass team. They got their scroll and started toward the tower."

"Well, that's one less thing to worry about," Hideo sighed.

"You guys heard or seen anything on the Stone team?" Natsuo inquired. "We got a heads up about them."

Tetsu shivered. She did not like that squad, at all. There was something about the way that the one named Satoshi would look at girls that made her cringe.

Hideo shook his head, "No. They're laying low, I think."

"Well," Jirochi looked over everyone, "What do you guys think you're going to do?"

"Watch each other's backs and make it to the tower without a scroll," Hideo replied, "I mean, we're finished. There's no way any of us can fight. The best we can do is hope that our numbers will keep wild animals away. Have you seen the _bears_ in this place?"

The memory of cruel eyes made Tetsu shift her weight from foot to foot, uncomfortably. She wanted to forget that ordeal.

"Hell yeah, we have!" Natsuo barked out, "Is there like something in the water here that makes them that big?"

Hideo grimaced, "They're not even good to eat."

"Right?!" Natsuo shuddered.

Jirochi interrupted them, "Well, we should probably head out. There's no point in us standing around here talking. There's not much longer until time's up for this part of the exam."

The Rain nin nodded in acknowledgment, "Well, good luck out there. I've been to several exams and I hoped this one would be the one my team made it all the way through, but so far it's been nothing but a shit show."

"Thanks," Jirochi replied.

"If anything happens to your team like it did to ours, you're welcome to join us. Safety in numbers and all that."

Jirochi nodded and threw a sloppy salute in his direction.

* * *

"I'm so tired of searching through this forest!" Natsuo whined. "I mean, why does there have to be so much ground to cover for this?"

"That's a stupid question." Jirochi retorted. "This test isn't supposed to be easy."

Natsuo's face scrunched up, "Who pissed on your bear meat this morning?"

Tetsu sighed as the boys started to bicker. She tuned them out. The stress of trying to find another scroll when there were dangerous teams lying in wait was getting to them all. When they got stressed, Jirochi and Natsuo always argued. Usually it was over nothing. They had always been that way.

"Shhh!" Jirochi hissed, "Do you hear that?"

They all stopped jumping through the trees and paused to listen. There was a melody playing on the air. It was not loud or overbearing, but it was definitely there. It sounded like a music box.

"You think that's someone's jutsu?" Natsuo whispered.

"Can't be sure." Jirochi whispered back.

"Well, it definitely means there's someone in the area." Natsuo looked around, "We should go check it out."

"It could be a trap," Jirochi shook his head, "and we don't know which team it is."

"I doubt any of the baddies out here would be toting a music box or whatever that thing is. It sounds like one, anyway." Natsuo shot back.

Jirochi shrugged in exasperation, "Fine! We'll go look, but we have to stay on our toes."

Tetsu thought they needed to turn around and run to either the tower or out of the forest, but knew that her suggestion would not be appreciated.

They continued at a slower pace. All of her hair stood on end. She strained her eyes as she looked all around them. The fear of not knowing what they were going to find was eating at her nerves. She was tired of being the scared one in their group, but she could not help it. At the very least, she could be a good look out, even if she would be next to no help in a fight.

Everything around her came into sharp focus. She had never noticed how terrible and beautiful the Forest of Death was, just like she never thought a bear could be both terrifying and magnificent before they were attacked by one. This place was ancient and it was lovely.

She wondered how many lives had begun there and how many had been lost there.

Her eyes continued to search. She half expected to see creatures and faces of people long since departed. She would never deny that there was something almost spiritual about that place. It made her feel insignificant.

Tetsu realized suddenly that she was out of breath.

She inhaled, deeply, and regarded her friends. They looked tired, too. It made sense since they had been going nonstop for days now. A frown tugged at her lips. She did not like the idea of them being exhausted.

Her nose itched and she scratched at it.

Natsuo sneezed, "Ugh, I think we must've gotten into some pollen or something. I'm kinda itching."

Jirochi shot him a funny look, but did not comment.

Her feet felt heavy. She did not realize she had gotten such a small amount of rest. It must have been because they were coming down to the last days and the desperation and anxiety to achieve success had sapped the energy from her.

"L-let's slow down," she whispered.

The two boys did not argue.

She grabbed a hold of a tree to balance herself and marveled at how perfect the bark was. She had never noticed how beautiful a tree could be before.

"You okay?" Jirochi shot her an inquisitive look.

"F-Fine." She pushed off the tree and followed closely behind them.

They found the music box on the ground at the base of a tree. A kunoichi spun in circles on the top as it played its song. They stood around it for a moment before it stopped playing and the kunoichi ceased making its rounds. The lack of the melody made the area seem hollow, somehow.

Natsuo opened his mouth to say something, but stopped. His eyelids drooped in exhaustion. Tetsu took a step toward him, but her knees buckled and she collapsed. Natsuo joined her on the ground and then Jirochi. She took ragged, desperate breaths - she had to stay awake. She had to do something. This was bad.

All at once the beautiful scenery around her began to change. The colors and sharp shapes began to run together and somehow _melt_. It was like her reality was coming undone. Tetsu did not know what was real and what was not. Her world was sliding away and being altered like a painter's canvas.

She could not move.

She wanted to get up. With everything in her she wanted to run away, but her body would not listen. She could not even move her fingers. She was paralyzed and unable to do anything.

A figure moved above her and came into focus.

She looked over at her teammates, hoping against hope that they could do anything and her heart skipped a beat. They were covered in insects. Almost every inch of their body was carpeted by them.

How long had they been carrying them without realizing it?

She looked back to the figure that stared down at them like a demon stalking its prey. He wore a coat that covered almost all of his body. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of sunglasses. Insects streamed out of every opening in his clothing.

The droning of the bugs became so loud that it drowned out her own thoughts. She strained against her body and gnashed her teeth with the effort, but it was pointless. This place was hell. They were at the mercy of this person - if he even was a _person_ \- and she knew they would find no kindness there.

_"And whatever you do, there's one team you absolutely need to stay away from."_

He wore a hitai-ate with a leaf carved into it.

Panic set in.

Another form came into focus beside him - another guy. He appeared out of nowhere, as if he had been there the entire time but she had somehow not noticed him. He looked over the three of them like they were not even there and pulled out a paintbrush and a scroll. There was no empathy or concern in his behavior. It was like Tetsu's team was nothing more than another tree.

Lastly, another figure came into focus. This time it was a girl. The Leaf kunoichi stepped over Jirochi and picked up the music box.

"Is it safe to call the Kikaichu off?" The first boy - Tetsu recognized him as one of the Aburame - asked in a bored tone.

"Oh, yeah, it is." The kunoichi replied, absently, as she examined the music box. "Actually, they're close to taking too much of their chakra."

The boy with the paintbrush rolled his eyes at the kunoichi's back, "Girls and their trinkets. Let's go ahead and finish up here."

The insects began to move back to their vessel.

"This makes the last Waterfall team," the Aburame commented.

Tetsu's heart drummed against her ribcage. They had gotten her brother.

"Not many left now. We should probably go to the tower soon," the kunoichi replied.

She moved over to Jirochi, pushed him onto his back and then made a hand-seal. Chakra came to her hand and she systematically pressed her fingers against each of the boy's arms, his hands, and his legs in specific places. Exactly where the Rain squad and Grass squad had bruises. The kunoichi was crippling the competition one by one.

In moments she had done the same to Natsuo.

Tears ran down Tetsu's face as the kunoichi knelt in front of her. This medic ninja was different than Tetsu. The Leaf squad was different than her squad. The kunoichi that stared down at Tetsu knew exactly what she was doing. There was no doubt in her brown eyes and there was no hesitation in the way that she moved. This girl looked to be only a year older than Tetsu, but they were as different as night and day.

Morino Ibiki had done well.

"This one's still awake," she commented, "Oh, you don't need to cry. Ready or not, it will be over soon."

Tetsu's team were sheep and they were the wolves.

The kunoichi raised a hand that glowed with green chakra and placed it over Tetsu's forehead. Everything bled into a nightmare in which she did not know reality from dream.

She had not been ready.


	13. For Whom the Bell Tolls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When wolves clash and the bell tolls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The poem quoted in this chapter is by John Donne.

**Chapter 13: For Whom the Bell Tolls**

**"No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main. If a clod be washed away by the sea, Europe is the less, as well as if a promontory were, as well as if a manor of thy friend's or of thine own were: any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind, and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls..."**

"Well," Daisuke looked over a piece of paper, "Looks like we've wiped out half of the teams."

"What's the count?" Akio shifted to look over Daisuke's shoulder.

"Three Waterfall teams, one Sand, one Grass, and one Rain," Daisuke replied. "This plan of yours worked out really good. Who would've thought Shi-Shi-chan could think up something so effective."

Arashi glared at him, "With how lacking we are in combat, it's a good idea to cut down on the competition as much as we can this round. You know what comes next."

"The final round where they throw us in an arena and people cheer as we get our faces beaten in?" Daisuke asked with mock sweetness.

Akio snorted in amusement.

"Yeah, that," Arashi's nose rose into the air. "It's nice to see you take this seriously."

"Yeah, whatever, snob," Daisuke tucked his list away. "I really wanted to get a shot at that Lightning squad. One of those guys sat right next to me and called me a _faggot_. I was going to carve that right into his forehead after you were done with him."

She rolled her eyes.

"Screw the Leaf this," Daisuke continued trying to impersonate the Lighting nin, "You're all pussies that."

She tuned him out.

The plan had been more effective than she thought it would be. The first two days they went around setting up Daisuke's genjutsu in zones. The fact that his technique required paint made it possible. The paint could blend in perfectly with the surroundings, dry, and remain for days until one of their targets entered the area and triggered the genjutsu. All they had to worry about was keeping Daisuke's camouflage jutsu - the Kamofuraaji jutsu - active and using Arashi's sensory skills to track and then gradually herd targets into the zones. After the genjutsu was triggered, Akio sent his bugs in to devour their target's chakra until they collapsed and were no longer able to move. Once Arashi sensed that they could not defend themselves anymore, she moved in and used her chakra scalpel to make strategic incisions in their muscles to render them crippled and no longer a threat until well after this round would be completed.

It was cold, calculated, and effective.

While some teams preferred violence as a means to get their scrolls, her team had prospered by using their individual skills together to make a trap. She was proud and she was sure their Sensei would be, as well.

"I don't think I've ever used so much chakra," Daisuke mumbled.

"What? Do you need me to transfer more of mine to you?" Arashi asked, dryly.

"Look, not everyone runs around with a chakra pool the size of a lake, alright?" Daisuke crossed his arms and sniffed. "When did you even find the time to learn that technique, anyway?"

"While I was doing research for my project."

"Aren't you still researching it?"

"Well, I have a, uh, prototype of sorts."

He raised an eyebrow, "Right. That doesn't sound safe."

"Screw you-" Arashi hissed.

"How many scrolls do we have now?" Akio interrupted them. "How many of each kind?"

"Four Heaven and three Earth," Arashi replied. "We have most of today and all of tomorrow to make it to the tower."

Akio nodded, satisfied with the answer, "We should conceal a set in each of our bags."

"Just in case we get split up or something bad happens?" She asked.

He nodded.

"Alright, that's a good idea." She pursed her lips as she divided them into sets. "Honestly, it kinda creeped me out that you guys shoved all of them at me to carry. I mean, it's not like I'm _already_ a target as a medic ninja or anything."

"Yeah and it's not like we haven't pissed off every other person in the forest, either," Daisuke added. "You had nothing to worry about."

"Oh yeah, nothing at all," She deadpanned, "Anyway, do you guys want me to seal these into another scroll or are you two alright carrying them as they are now?"

The two boys thought about it for a few seconds.

_And they call me indecisive._

"I guess seal them. That way if something happens, then whoever the enemy is won't even know what to look for," Daisuke decided.

Akio nodded his approval.

She arched an eyebrow at them, "Do you guys know how to unseal them if something were to happen to _me_?"

"Uh, yeah," Daisuke rolled his eyes. "You're not the only person that paid attention to that lesson in the Academy. Storage scrolls are easy. It's that other weird crap you do that gets complicated."

Arashi chose to not acknowledge him and instead pulled out three scrolls to seal the sets into. Within a moment they were all safely hidden away.

"Who wants to take the spare Heaven scroll?" She asked.

She was answered by two shrugs.

"Okay, I'll take it," She tucked the storage scroll away.

Their time in the Forest of Death had not been terrible. They were tired and all ready for a hot shower, but their experience had been much better than most of the other Genin's experience there. Their Academy Sensei had been thorough with their survival training. Arashi remembered going through lessons on which plants were poisonous along with their botany lessons. She enjoyed those days - even if Daisuke always beat her floral arrangements - and she took the knowledge to heart. Both of her teammates were just as knowledgeable with traversing and surviving in the terrain.

_Yeah, Ibiki Sensei did a good job getting us ready for this step._ She glanced around. _This place would have been a living hell without all of that hard work._

In truth, she found the forest to be unnerving, but not necessarily because of the place itself - even if the bears were demon-spawn that would track someone for miles to assault them for a crumb in their pack. What unnerved her was the fact that Satoshi's chakra signature was always nearby, but distant enough to stay away from all of the genjutsu zones. She never wanted to see the guy again after his behavior during the written exam, but she quietly hoped he would get himself stuck in one of their traps so that they could remove him from competing with them.

_It's like he knew where the zones were every time._ She chewed on her lip. _Like he knew where we were the whole time, too._

A shiver ran up her spine.

_But, that's just a coincidence, right? Just a.. ridiculous coincidence._

"Oi, are you ignoring me?" Daisuke waved a hand in her face.

"Huh? What?"

"You were totally zoned out," he explained. "Me and Akio are ready to go if you are. We've got a little ground to cover and since we've screwed over half the people in this forest, I figure we should go ahead and start on our way."

"We should be cautious," Akio explained. "There could be traps."

"Yeah, I guess we could've made some enemies lately. Let's go."

Arashi felt at home in trees.

She did not know anyone in Konoha that did not link the forests around the village to being a part of their home. Even though she did not have the luxury of safety while in the middle of their exam, Arashi was not overly worried. The main thing her team needed to maintain was a heightened level of consciousness. Three pairs of eyes scanning their surroundings and Arashi's innate ability to sense chakra signatures made their overall awareness abnormally high.

_I might have sucked in the written exam, but here is where I prosper. I'll just try to not think about the next round. I'm going to be so screwed in a one on one fight._

She peered at Daisuke from the corner of her eye.

_I mean, sure his jutsu requires set up, but he stores genjutsu in scrolls. He might try to play it off like they're_ just _paintings, but I'm not dumb. They're packed with his chakra._

She turned her attention to her other side where Akio was.

_And Akio? That guy's a tank. He'll be just fine._

She turned her attention forward and continued scanning for danger.

_I don't know a single offensive ninjutsu and my genjutsu is pathetic at best. I'm just lucky they required only the most basic level of illusions to graduate from the Academy._

"What? Did you smell something bad?" Daisuke inquired in his mock-sweet voice, "Because you've got a weird grimace on your face."

"What?" She forced her face back into a passive expression. "No. It's nothing."

Instead of relief to be heading toward the tower in order to finish the test, she felt dread. Team Morino had undeniably been the hunters, but at that moment she did not feel like she was in control. She felt like there was something wrong.

Her lips drew into a thin line when she realized what it was.

There was a group of three signatures following them and even though they were still at a distance, they were gradually catching up. That they were being tracked did not bother her - others had tried over the past several days to locate them - but because of Daisuke's jutsu none were able to find them. What bothered her was that she recognized this particular signature all too well.

Satoshi.

She had no idea how he was doing it. He was always nearby, but far enough to be safe from their genjutsu zones. She had no doubt that it was intentional. There was no way that it was just a coincidence. Satoshi's group had been hunting _them_ and they were just now making their move conveniently when they were nowhere near a genjutsu zone to take cover in.

_How the hell have they been able to tell?_

Arashi was not sure exactly how long it would take her group to get to the tower, but she had a feeling they were still too far away to make a safe dash to it for cover.

"Guys, we have an incoming team," she announced.

Akio's attention snapped to her, "How far away are they?"

"A decent distance away," she replied.

"Well, let's just finish this test and ignore them," Daisuke suggested. "I'm sure we can outrun them."

"We might be able to beat them to the tower, but if we run into one of the other teams then we're screwed. We could run straight into a trap because of our rush and then either that team will take us out or we'll end up fighting both around the same time." Arashi explained. "We're coming down to the wire. Desperate teams will probably be setting up around the tower to ambush anyone who's gotten too careless. It's what I'd do in their situation."

"You're right. We'd be screwed if either of those situations happed," Daisuke admitted. "Which group is after us?"

"The Stone group," she replied.

"Oh, hell, those creeps?" Daisuke sniffed. "What were their names again?"

"Satoshi's the one with blue eyes, Ryota is the one with black hair, and the guy with blond hair is Soma," Akio replied. "I got their names during the written exam. I thought they might be trouble after how Satoshi acted."

A chill ran up Arashi's spine, "Yeah."

"Well, what do you propose we do?" Daisuke asked. "Use my Kamofuraafi jutsu and then jump them?"

"I'm thinking we'll have more of a fight on our hands than that. It's like they've been tracking us the whole time and avoiding our traps." Arashi explained.

"What? Like how?" Daisuke demanded.

"Maybe they're tracking us by scent?" Arashi suggested.

"Why didn't you say anything before?" Daisuke hissed. "You know, used that sign language Ibiki Sensei taught us to say, 'hey guys, there's someone following us' earlier if speaking up was so hard? We could've made some time for this so we wouldn't have to deal with it now."

"You know what, here's some sign language," she waved her middle finger at him.

He glared at her, distastefully.

"Anyway, I thought I was just being paranoid." She explained. "It just seemed crazy."

"They could've figured out we use paint. Avoided the areas where they caught a whiff of any of it?" Akio suggested.

"Yeah, but my paint is practically odorless. My father taught me how to make it when I was little. It's a clan secret that's been passed down." Daisuke argued.

"Regardless, we need to set up while we still have the time." Akio replied.

"Yeah," Arashi agreed. "Let's get to work. We don't have much time."

* * *

Arashi signed to her teammates from her perch.

They chose to set up in several trees clustered together. Arashi concealed herself in one, up high where she could keep an eye on what was going on. If a fight were to break out, she could analyze their techniques, figure out their strategies, or even lend a helping hand in some way. Even if she was not supposed to enter direct combat, it did not mean she could not throw a kunai here and there.

Daisuke signed back to her that he was ready.

Across from her in another tree Daisuke added the last touches of paint to a branch. If they were being tracked by the scent of paint, he was determined to throw their adversaries off the trail. Each tree in the area had traces of his paint.

Akio signed that he was ready, as well.

Lastly, Akio settled in a tree across from both of his teammates. Kikaichu were already stationed around the area, waiting for a signal to begin an attack. Out of their entire team, he was the calmest about the battle they were about to be involved in.

Daisuke's jutsu kept them hidden, but she felt like she was out in the open.

_Here they come. It's unnerving how they've done this. No one else was able to be this accurate or cautious._

Her spine stiffened as, just as she expected, Satoshi's squad landed on a branch near her team. His teammates wore the same simple clothing that he did. Their heights were similar, but one had black hair and the other had blond. Satoshi carried a spear with him, but none of the others seemed to have any weapons out of the standard gear assigned to a shinobi.

_Okay, so Soma's the blond and Ryota's the one with black hair. Got it._ She narrowed her eyes. _What's up with their skin?_

Arashi could sense a dense layer of chakra coating their skin. She signed to her teammates to be cautious.

_Is it some sort of armor? Is that dirt? I guess it makes sense. They have earth affinities._

"I don't see anyone here." Soma stated, flatly. "Are you sure they're around here?"

"Oh, I'm sure." Satoshi replied. "They're just hidden."

Ryota sneered, "Probably have some of those damn bugs waiting for us, too."

_Okay, so far it's going alright._

Satoshi looked directly at Arashi and that same predatory glint came into his eyes.

"Hey, doll. Been a while."

Her blood ran cold in her veins, _What the hell. He shouldn't see me. He can't._

His grip tightened on the spear and then he threw it.

Arashi leapt out of the way just in time and landed on the side of another tree. With wide eyes she looked back to see the spear deeply imbedded where she was perched before.

_He can!_

She turned and ran up the tree. Satoshi retrieved his weapon and turned to pursue her. The sound of the three chasing after her made her ears burn. She signed quickly to her teammates to wait.

She had something for the Stone nin.

_Peel them off my trail, return to the guys, and go from there._

She leapt over to another tree and across a massive branch. Satoshi's group was right behind her.

_Perfect._

She formed a hand-seal. The last time she had used this particular fuinjutsu against someone, it was to blow up Daisuke's paint. Patches of the branch and trees around them glowed as hidden fuinjutsu activated.

Satoshi's eyes widened.

The entire area lit up as the fuinjutsu exploded.

The trees not affected swayed from the blast and pieces of wood and debris rained down. The signatures of the three Stone nin were unaffected.

_That armor must be some serious stuff. They were in proximity of that blast, but they're fine. Stunned, maybe, but fine._

Arashi veered away from her course and turned to reunite with her group.

"What was that?" Daisuke whispered.

Akio hovered nearby.

She blurted everything out as fast as she could, "Guys, they've got some sort of armor and it can take a lot of damage. They stood in that and they're still alive. They're on their way here, so we need to get going. That Satoshi guy can see me somehow and he can probably see you two, as well."

They nodded and everyone found another place to conceal themselves.

From his spot, Daisuke made several hand-seals and the paint all around the area faded into the trees. Arashi felt slightly dizzy as the genjutsu settled into the area.

The Stone nin arrived and looked around.

_Just like I thought. They're alright. Not even ruffled. Maybe the blast_ did _do something to their armor, but if it did then they repaired it before coming back over here._

The Kikaichu swarmed them, but instead of reacting to the insects, they seemed mildly annoyed. Arashi's eyes narrowed.

_That armor stuff is resistant to the Kikaichu. A normal Genin would be crippled by all of those insects devouring their chakra, but they're having a hard time working through that armor._

"Heh, a mild genjutsu? Try not to get dizzy guys," Satoshi declared. "Let's start hunting!"

His teammates nodded. Satoshi clenched a fist and slammed it on the branch. With a crack it split apart. The vibrations shook the insects from their skin and the Genin split up.

_That strength! Okay, Ryota's up there, waiting and Soma's going toward Daisuke,_ her eyes widened, _And of course Satoshi's-_

Arashi leapt back as Satoshi lunged at her with his spear. She ducked beneath another swipe and jumped to different branch.

The blade of Satoshi's spear sliced through the air as he brought it down toward her. She tensed and prepared to roll out of the way.

Akio appeared in front of her and blocked the attack with his arm. The filaments of the insects coating his forearm trapped the blade against him. Satoshi sneered. Akio wiped the expression off his face with a full-bodied punch that knocked him off the branch.

Satoshi landed on the side of another tree and glared up at them with several cracks in his armor.

Akio threw the spear away. It sailed through the air and disappeared out of sight. Satoshi looked scandalized and dropped down to the ground to search for his weapon.

Arashi smothered a laugh, _I guess he liked that stupid thing._

Daisuke's Kamofuraaji jutsu dissipated.

_Crap._

Soma went on the move toward Daisuke.

"Akio, Ryota's moving to flank us," she whispered and pointed to their left, "I'm going to go give Daisuke some support."

Akio nodded and they split up.

Daisuke ducked under a punch. Soma's fist connected with the tree trunk behind Daisuke's head and left a deep impression. He was trying to get his hands on a scroll that contained one of his genjutsu, but Soma would not relent.

Arashi's lips thinned into a line as she ran up the tree toward them. She focused a chakra scalpel into her hand and lunged at an opening.

Her fingers struck Soma's torso - right below his lungs. The scalpel managed to pass through the armor and she felt it hit his diaphragm. If not for his armor, she was convinced it would have done much more damage.

Soma choked and clenched his chest.

While the Stone ninja struggled to catch his breath Daisuke grabbed his scroll, opened it wide and held it in front of his enemy. Soma's eyes widened in terror.

The chakra from the scroll overwhelmed the Stone ninja and after a few seconds of a strangled cry, he collapsed on the branch.

_I hope I never find out what kind of illusions Daisuke uses on people._

She sensed Akio's signature moving into position to attack Ryota. With a nod, Daisuke moved to conceal himself again and Arashi ran to join up with Akio.

She jumped from one branch to another and as she was midair, the sound of kunai whistling toward her caught her attention. Arashi's eyes widened. Ryota had predicted her move.

She would be unable to dodge.

A weighted wire wrapped around her waist and she was tugged out of the way.

Arashi twisted and landed on her feet next to Akio. He nodded to her and dropped the wire so that she could untie herself.

"Thanks," She whispered.

He touched her shoulder and sprinted after Ryota.

_We have to figure out a way to get through that armor. My scalpel did it. His punch damaged Satoshi's, but didn't seem to actually hurt him. I need to figure something out that the guys can use against them. Genjutsu worked, but we can't use that when they're focusing Daisuke._

She pulled a kunai from her pouch and focused her chakra into it.

Her natural affinity was wind and the chakra scraped against itself in opposite directions to form a deadly tip. She searched the area and found Ryota trying to evade Akio.

_Let's give this a shot!_

She ran a couple steps and threw the kunai toward the Stone nin.

Ryota managed to avoid most of the damage, but the blade glanced off his shoulder and sliced right through his armor.

_Excellent!_

Arashi moved closer to Daisuke to get a better position to support Akio. The Aburame was in a heated match of taijutsu with the Stone nin.

_I can't really throw one of these things right now. If I hit Akio he's as good as dead._

Satoshi's signature was suddenly very close.

Arashi's eyes widened, _He wasn't that fast before! I guess he found his spear._

Her eyes settled on Soma - who had begun to stir - and then on Daisuke who had his back toward Satoshi's incoming path.

_No! No! No!_ She focused chakra into her legs and sprinted toward him. "Daisuke!"

Arashi caught sight of Satoshi preparing to throw his spear. She grabbed Daisuke's shirt, threw him, and barely rolled out of the way as the weapon pierced into the tree.

_Too close!_

She jumped to her feet and started to leap away - but a hand caught the back of her shirt and she was jerked back against a chest. She tensed and started to struggle.

A kunai was pressed against her neck.

She went still and the blood in her veins turned to ice. Her instincts called out for her to fight back, to struggle, to break away - anything, but the blade pressed against her neck held her in place. Her blood trickled out from beneath the tip.

It was Satoshi. This time he did not have his armor intact. She assumed that was how he was able to move faster. The weight of the armor must have slowed him down.

"You've been pretty busy, huh?" He whispered into her ear. "I started to think I wouldn't get a chance to see you this round."

Arashi steeled her nerves and kept her tone even as she spoke, "Why are you doing this?"

"My whole life I didn't look at people the same way everyone else did and I think you're like me. I noticed when you walked in to the exam room. You don't see a person's face first. You see their chakra, too, don't you?" He stroked her hair with his free hand. "What does it look like to you? I could never make out much. Kinda like looking into the sky for stars, but most of 'em are hidden behind clouds."

_That's how he knew where the traps were._

Daisuke and Akio stood, frozen. Satoshi's two teammates stood at a safe distance from hers and watched the scene with expressions of exasperation.

"Great, he's doing this _again,_ " Ryota spat. "Just great."

_Again?_

"Your skin looks like, porcelain, doll. If I dropped you, would you break into a million little pieces?"

Arashi tried to calm herself, "You should let me go. I'll give you a scroll and we won't have to fight anymore like this. We can settle whatever issue you have in the next round."

"Issue?" His voice took on an awestruck tone, "If everyone else is like a star hidden behind a cloud, you're like the moon. The clouds can't hide you. I can't see anything but you. I can't think about anything except for _you_."

He smelled her hair and nestled his nose behind her ear. Bile rose in the back of her mouth when she felt his tongue snake out to lick her earlobe.

"Stop." Arashi's voice shook. "Just stop."

"You're blinding me," Satoshi's voice broke, "and I'm tired of being blind."

He grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her head back.

_"Just be safe."_

Then, without any hesitation he sliced her throat open from one ear to the other.

Her teammates yelled out her name as blood sprayed out from her. She did not hear them. She could not breathe. Satoshi stepped to the side and tugged her backwards. She fell off the branch and plummeted toward the ground.

She choked on her own blood as it blocked her airways and filled her lungs. Warmth rushed to her neck as the seals activated. She pressed her hands over the laceration and tried to heal herself. Any concentration she had was shattered as she crashed through leaves and branches.

Arashi slammed into the ground so hard that it forced any remaining air and blood out of her lungs. She gasped for breath so desperately that her body shook with the effort.

Her mind whirled with delirium and panic. Her body was already clammy and a sheen of sweat coated her skin where she was not drenched in blood. The world spun around her, but she knew she had to do something.

She had lost too much blood and was going into Hemorrhagic shock.

Her heart hammered against her ribs - she was sure a couple of them were broken - and she could not entirely catch her breath. She needed a blood transfusion. With an act of sheer will and determination she struggled to elevate her legs against a tree.

Pain jolted through her body and her senses burned.

One of her legs was broken, too, but she managed to prop them up. Then, with shaky hands she reached into her medical pouch. Her fingers were numb, but she managed to find a plasma pill to take. It was not a transfusion, but it was all she had. She felt detached as she noticed her fingernails were blue.

Arashi wanted to be home. She wanted to wrap herself in her blankets - she was so cold - and read a book. She wanted to run into her dad's arms. She missed her mother and her little brother.

She severely needed a dose of epinephrine. Her heart was struggling to pump blood through her body. Her organs were going to fail. She was slipping away.

She had some sealed away in her medical pouch. She just needed to reach in there, unseal it, and inject it.

_Almost there..._

Her arm stopped working.

Arashi blacked out.

**"It tolls for thee."**


	14. Lamentations in the Forest of Death

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time is almost up and Arashi's stuck between a rock and a hard place.

**Lamentations in the Forest of Death**

Arashi felt sick.

Not the kind of sick that comes from a cold or the kind that comes from any sort of infection. Her mind tried to assess the symptoms that she was experiencing, but she could not form thoughts. She was in limbo and she was slipping away.

She was dying.

It made sense, somehow. Without being able to consider the situation, she accepted it. The bits of broken memories and half thoughts comforted her as she drifted. She had lived a short, but good life. There were people that loved her and she lived in a country that had known relative peace for almost a decade. If she left, it would not be like they _needed_ her. It did not matter.

The wounds that she had from the attack were serious. Most people never would have survived them - let alone a thirteen year old girl.

Her mind wrapped itself around a single thought: _never_.

She would never get to see her dreams come to fruition, she would never experience her first kiss, she would never get to usher in the next generation or anything. She was to die young - murdered in the Forest of Death.

Mental haze or not, she knew this was not who she was and this was not what was meant to happen to her.

Her pulse began to pick up.

She had a father and a mother, a brother and Naruto, a team and friends. She had a dream. She had a purpose. If she died then she had nothing.

If she died, she would be _nothing._ She would be nothing but a little doll that was shattered into a million pieces and discarded by a psychopath.

Her existence was consumed by a _refusal_ to be that.

Arashi gasped awake.

Her reality was one of a deep ache that blinded the rest of her senses. She felt like she had been beating her head against Death's door all night.

Unconsciousness beckoned to her from the corners of her mind. Her limbs felt weighted down and her skin was sticky with dried blood. Her throat was dry and swallowing was painful, but she was able to breathe. Discomfort was better than choking to death. Pain radiated from her leg - which she was sure was broken.

_I'm alive for whatever that's worth._

She took a breath and held it.

_I don't sense Akio or Daisuke nearby. I don't know what to think of that. Either they got away or they're dead right now._

She exhaled.

_My ribs healed while I was out._ She brought her hands up and felt her ribcage. _Pretty good result from my project for a test run, I guess._

She looked around with bleary eyes. Her glasses were within reach, so she steeled her nerves and grabbed them. It hurt to move, but it was necessary. She needed to see if she was to repair the rest of the damage done to her body. Once they were returned to her face, she laid her head back on the ground and looked upward.

It was morning.

_I don't think I've ever felt so exhausted before._ She turned her head to the side and searched her surroundings. _This wasn't where I was yesterday._

Arashi was several feet away from where she propped herself against a tree before. She knew she had not moved on her own - unless she seized and then struggled while she was unconscious. Her stomach turned as she looked over the bloodstained dirt.

_How did I not die?_ She closed her eyes. _I must have one hell of a life force. That or Mom's right and I'm the most stubborn girl ever born._

The events of the previous day played through her mind. It made her want to throw up. She felt weak and powerless. She had never felt like a victim before in her life. It made her feel dirty.

She bit her lip and forced herself to think of the situation at hand. She was in the middle of the Forest of Death, there were other squads lurking around, she could not feel her teammates anywhere nearby, she was severely injured, and she was alone. Her situation was bleak at best.

_Great._

She mustered as much strength as she could and sat up.

_Oh yeah... that's a broken leg. That's definitely a broken leg._

If the situation was not such a nightmare, she might have laughed - or cried - either would have worked, but instead she felt detached. It was like a horror story that one of the older, retired shinobi would tell their grandchildren to spook them, except she was living it and it was not just a story.

_I have to set the bone, mend everything back together and get to that tower._

Arashi examined the injury. The area below her knee was swollen, but at the very least it was a closed fracture. The last thing she needed was an open wound with a bone sticking out at her. From what she could tell the swelling was not severe enough to denote an artery was ruptured. A nasty bruise was alright; she would not drown on her own blood from a bruise.

As she was designing her project, she had realized that in its early stage the jutsu would be unable to properly handle severely broken bones. It had taken care of her ribs because, although they were broken, they were not fractured into pieces and they had not punctured into her lungs. Her leg, on the other hand, needed the bone to be corrected before the medical ninjutsu would mend it back together. It was a safety precaution until she could do more extensive testing.

It struck her that she never gave her project a name.

For months upon months she poured her life into creating it but she was too scared it would be a failure to give it a name. She sniffled. Her nameless jutsu pulled through for her.

_It deserves a name._

She could feel a couple teams in the area. One was the Lightning squad, the other was a Sand squad. Anything was better than having another run in with Satoshi, but the thought did not comfort her. She needed to get herself functioning before someone found her. She doubted anyone would be merciful after what she and her team had been up to.

_Okay, set the bone, heal the damage. No biggie._

Arashi had set her fair share of broken bones, but none of them had ever been her own. She hesitated. It was going to hurt.

_Get over it. This has to be done._

Arashi grabbed a piece of bark and bit down on it. She drug herself to a tree to prop herself up. Each jar to her leg sent a scorching, burning pain through her body.

_It's good my jutsu didn't mess with this bone. I can't imagine what I'd do if it accidentally melded the bone together crooked._

She took a deep breath and bit down hard on the bark.

Her muffled scream echoed off the trees around her as she slid the bone back into place.

Once she caught her breath again, she channeled her chakra into a Shosen no jutsu and poured it into her leg. Thunder boomed over her head and rain began to pour down. Within moments she was drenched.

Her first thoughts were of trying to find a warm place to take shelter until it passed, but as the water washed the blood from her skin, she felt rejuvenated. She grabbed onto a tree and pulled herself to her feet. Her balance was unstable at first, but she was standing and that was an accomplishment. She turned her face to the rain and held her hands out.

The rain was cleansing her.

_Fuin Shugotenshi?_

The fuinjutsu hidden within her body had been like a guardian angel, after all.

_Terrible name, but it works._

Arashi dug through her pack and fished out a Military Rations Pill. She wanted to gag as she ate it, but it was another necessity. In order to get out of that place, she needed her strength. The pill would replenish her chakra and nourish her body. Normally, she would not have used it. She was skeptical about how healthy it was to consume them.

_It's not like these things are candy._

As she swallowed, her throat ached. She reached up to touch her neck and her back stiffened. She could feel a mass of scar tissue that spanned all the way across - exactly where she had been cut. Her breath hitched. Her jutsu was not supposed to leave severe scarring.

All over again, she could feel Satoshi's attempt to murder her. She struggled to keep her breathing even. It took everything in her to keep from breaking down right there.

She wanted to run into the safety of her father's arms and to feel her mother stroking her hair to comfort her. She wanted to be safe at home and not in danger. She wanted to be anywhere but there.

"Holy shit, you're one of those Leaf faggots."

Her mouth formed a thin line and she turned to look at the Lightning ninja that found her while she was distracted.

He was about a foot taller than her, a year or two older, his skin was a deep mocha, and his hair was black. His general appearance was haggard, like he had been running for hours before he stumbled across her. There were bags under his eyes that denoted he had not slept in a long time. His team was close by, but she could tell they were all split up.

_Looks like he's been chased by another group._

He looked at her like she was a piece of trash, but when his eyes landed on her neck a glint of surprise and aversion lit up. She wanted to shield her throat from him so he could not look at it that way, anymore.

"Hey, why don't you answer? Huh? Too high and mighty 'cause you're on your home turf?" His hand went to his kunai pouch. "I'll just have to beat that out of you. Looks like another group already had a go at it, but I won't let that spoil my fun."

_Great. Just what I need._

There was nowhere for her to run. The pill had not restored all of her strength and she doubted she could fend him off.

"Look, we don't have to fight," It was painful to speak, but Arashi forced her voice to stay steady, "You come at me, my team will come at you. Trust me. You don't want that."

"That's some real bull right there. I'm thinking you're alone. Alone and hurt from the looks of you and this place."

_This isn't good._

"Really?" She laughed, "You're pretty stupid. Kinda like the rest of those teams we took down before."

His bravado wavered a little and he glanced around. He was nervous. Despite his act of arrogance, she knew her bluff was having an effect.

"The only reason you're not down for the count right now is because we're in a bit of a rush to get to the tower." She let her hand rest over her kunai pouch.

The muscles of his jaw worked in irritation. The agitation in his body language made her anxious, but she tried to hide it. He was acting like a rubber band that had been stretched too far and was about to snap.

"You know, I'm having a hard time caring whether this is a trap or not. Your country is scum and your team is worse."

"And what will your team say when they have to carry your useless body out of this forest?"

"I'll tell them to shut their damn mouths! I call the shots and I say: screw your team and your threats!"

Arashi tensed. He was snapping.

"If I slow you down enough, you won't make it to the tower in time!"

_You have got to be kidding me!_

They pulled out their kunai at the same time and he lunged.

The metal blades glanced off each other. Arashi whimpered as his kunai sliced through her arm and she braced herself for another strike.

It never came.

She looked down to see her kunai buried deep in the Lightning ninja's chest. He looked at her with a shocked expression. Arashi's heart lurched - she did not even aim to hit him. Her goal was to deflect his attack.

He coughed up some blood and toppled over.

Arashi dropped her kunai and knelt beside him. She examined the injury with shaky hands. His lung was pierced and the tip of her weapon had punctured his heart. His pericardium was rapidly filling with blood.

_Cardiac tamponade._

Arashi looked at him for a few seconds. Either she could let him drown in his own blood, or she could help him. Memories of her recent traumatic experience replayed in her mind.

She pressed her hands against his chest and channeled her chakra into the sac surrounding his heart. If she could stop the fluid from filling his pericardium, then later they could surgically drain it in a sanitary environment. If she did nothing, he was going to die.

He coughed up more blood and tried to struggle away from her. The whites of his eyes flashed with fear as he pushed her hands away.

"Stop!" She hissed. "Let me help you!"

She forced him on his back and pressed her hands against the wound again.

_This is bad. This is so bad._

She tried to repair the damage, but already there was too much fluid built up. His signature was fading with each weakening beat of his heart.

"Why didn't you just back down?" Her voice shook. "Why?"

He struggled to breathe.

"Why didn't you just let me go?"

The life faded from his eyes and his chakra flickered out.

"Why?"

She sat by him for moment in disbelief.

Arashi had taken a life.

_Why did you make me kill you?_

His unseeing gaze burned her. It was somehow accusing. Somewhere, this boy had people that loved him. He had friends, family, dreams, and ambitions. He had a future - until the blade of her kunai stole it all away.

She ran her hand over his face to close his eyes.

Arashi knew being a ninja meant killing and a high possibility of an unpleasant death. Her instructors from the Academy had drilled that into her head. Medic or not, she was a weapon. She was a killer-in-training and if Ibiki did his job right, she would make her living as a well honed tool.

Regardless, killing a teenage boy when violence was unnecessary was the farthest thing from her desire to help people.

Arashi did not know how to feel - then all at once she realized his team was coming toward her location. Panic shot through her. She could try to run, but they were already close and they would try to track her. Even if she got away, she was not sure if she could care for herself in her weakened state. Especially not with desperate squads around. She felt lost without a squad by her side.

A plan clicked together in her head.

She dug through the dead boy's pack and found an Earth scroll. She then unsealed the spare heaven scroll and sat them to the side. It made her stomach clench, but she examined him for a moment to memorize his features.

_I can't believe I'm doing this._

She made the dog, boar, and ram hand-seals. With a poof she transformed into the dead boy.

_They're going to see right through this. I'm being so stupid. Like basic ninjutsu will trick anyone._

She drug the body into another position and with everything in her, she quickly transformed his body to look like her. It made her sick to look down at her own body, even if she knew it was just a jutsu. She put enough chakra into the it to hold it for quite a while, but time was still limited.

_There's no way they'll fall for this. I should've just run._

A couple moments later, the first member of his squad dropped from the trees and walked over to her. The boy was just a little shorter than she was - while she was disguised as the dead Genin. Otherwise, he would have been a few inches taller than her. He had the same gauntness about him that the dead Genin had. He looked down at the disguised body with a sneer.

"Looks like at least one of those scum got what they deserved," Arashi commented. "And look how lucky."

She held up the two scrolls for him to see.

"Holy shit, Jiro!" the Lightning ninja's mouth fell open. "We've gotta get Nobu and sprint to that tower before the Sand team catches up to us."

_I can't believe this is working._

Arashi slipped the scrolls into her bag and jumped into the trees with her temporary teammate. The boy next to her looked around frantically. He stopped jumping from branch to branch and crossed his arms.

"He was around here just a little while ago," he muttered.

She knew exactly where he was, but played it off like she was unaware.

"Nobu! Where are you? We need to go!"

_He's shouting?_ Arashi cringed. _Yeah, like that won't draw everyone to our location._

The last member of her temporary team dropped out of his hiding spot and sprinted over, "Are you stupid, Takeshi? Do you want that Sand team to find us again?"

_At least my team was never that stupid._

Takeshi covered his mouth and squirmed, "Yeah, but," he mumbled through his hand, "Jiro has two scrolls! We're gonna make it to the next round!"

Nobu's eyes widened and he looked over at disguised-Arashi in disbelief.

She nodded with the best arrogant smirk she could muster, "We'd better get to that tower before we're out of time!"

Her temporary team nodded in agreement and they started on their way together.

_I wonder if Daisuke and Akio are okay,_ her stomach sank, _I could've passed right over their bodies without even knowing it._

She thought about her time with her team. They had all grown immensely since they formed a squad under Ibiki. From being around them so much, she was forced to acknowledge them as more than just two jerks that made her early childhood difficult. Her near death experience inspired her to look closer at the details in her life. Her Sensei always pushed for an analytical mind, after all.

_Akio? Akio was a lonely little boy that had no friends,_ she could not believe she had not noticed it before. _I ostracized him when we were little. No reason he bullied me. I had everything he didn't and it must've felt like I was rubbing it in his face with my bratty antics._

Her temporary teammates were quiet. She was thankful they were too distracted to notice she was an imposter.

_And Daisuke? He probably just wanted a friend and he thoughts my clothes were pretty, so he painted on them because that's the kind of kid he was. He only paints beautiful things. I hope he's still alive._ She frowned. _I've been a terrible person to them, not the other way around._

At that moment she realized that through her life she had been too busy judging people by their clan, family, and aptitude. At some point she stopped seeing the value of a person. She had adopted the ideals of an elite when she was nowhere near being one. When she thought of an elite shinobi, she thought of the ANBU - of Itachi.

_I'm never going to walk beside him. It's like he's in a whole different world. I'll never be one of the elite, so I should stop pretending and accept who I am._

Her thoughts transitioned from her team to her family. Her father had specifically stressed that he wanted her to be safe. She fell short of that request.

_Maybe stuff like this is why Dad never talks about any of his war stories. He doesn't just sport a few nasty scars like other people. He probably had friends die in his arms._

Her mother's high pitched and catty cackle rang in her ears.

_What would Mom do if I died here? What am I even doing with my life?_ _And Kazika? Kazika doesn't even know who I am. No reason he doesn't want to be a ninja. He blames the profession for my absence._

Then there was Naruto. His bright blue eyes and mischievous grin were infectious, to say the least. Her insistence to be in his life - even if just a little - was most of the support he ever got. His grades in the Academy were laughable and he had no friends. The scant amount of time she was able to throw to him was all he had.

_What would he even do if I got myself killed?_

Arashi did not want to let anyone know what happened to her the day before. If - _when_ \- she made it back, she would cover up the trauma and keep it a secret. If she could help it, no one would know. Especially not her family. Itachi would expect her to track him down to tell him the news of whether she was going on to the final round or not, but she was not in the mood to socialize with anyone. She wanted to be alone. She wanted to hide away.

She glanced at the two Lightning ninjas at her side.

They did not even know their friend was dead. Guilt stabbed at her once again, but she pushed it away. She did not have a choice. It was either Jiro or her. Fate decided she was the one to survive. In a sense, what happened had not even set in yet. His blood was drying on her hands, but she refused to think about it.

* * *

"Wait and see what Sensei has to say about this," Takeshi broke the silence between them. "Man, the way he told us we weren't ready still makes me mad, but this will show him."

"Whatever. Stay quiet and focus on making it there safely." Nobu hushed him. "Those pricks from before are right behind it. Not sure how they're getting around so good after the Stone squad got their scroll, but they're managing."

Arashi's frown deepened.

Hate was blossoming within her for Satoshi and what he had done to her.

Thoughts of the psychopath were brushed aside as she felt three familiar signatures in the distance.

Although she could not see it yet, she knew they were coming close to the tower - and within that tower her team was waiting. Daisuke, Akio, and Ibiki were there.

So was Satoshi, but she would deal with that issue later.

"We need to take this last bit slow." She announced. "There might be other teams set up to ambush us."

Her temporary teammates fell into a cautious formation around her.

* * *

When they made it to the tower, it was perhaps an hour from the cut off time. The tower stood like a beacon in the center of the forest and Konoha shinobi milled about around and within it. As with much of the architecture of the hidden village, it was pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle that was missing pieces. Takeshi practically vibrated with excitement to be there. He looked around at everything with wide, bright eyes. Nobu, on the other hand, seemed unruffled and maybe a little let down.

A proctor motioned for them to follow him.

"Cheer up, Nobu!" Takeshi whispered, loudly.

"I guess I just expected more from the tower after we struggled to get here for so long." Nobu muttered.

Arashi looked up at it, _I mean, sure it's not going to be featured in any fairytales any time soon, but it's pretty impressive._

"Oh, man, I can't wait to show our sensei!" Takeshi beamed.

_I guess it's time to end this whole act._

She did not think she could feel any more guilty than she did then.

Arashi sighed, "Proctor, I need a word with you."

The Chuunin proctor paused and looked over at her, inquisitively, "What is it?"

She took several steps away from her temporary squad and held up the two scrolls, "I have the scrolls. They're disqualified."

The proctor smirked in amusement.

_He saw through the Henge jutsu immediately._

Nobu squinted at her, "What? Stop screwing around, dude. You've been acting weird all day."

"Yeah!" Takeshi agreed. "We're _all_ making it through!"

_Ibiki was serious about calling some of these squads_ sheep, _I guess._

She sighed and released the jutsu. In the place of Jiro stood a lithe Konoha kunoichi. She stared flatly at the two Lightning genin through a pair of glasses. Their mouths fell open. The proctor chuckled.

"No. You guys are disqualified. Thanks for watching my back. I'm going to go find my team now."

* * *

Arashi made her way straight to her teammates.

Now that she was so close to them, she wanted to run as fast as she could, but she remained calm and walked. When she made it to the room where her team sat together in silence, she paused in the doorway.

_They really are okay._

She could tell the side of Daisuke's face had a bad bruise and Akio was nursing an arm, but they were alive. The relief that washed over her to see them almost knocked her off her feet.

Ibiki glanced over and stilled when he saw her.

"Hey guys," she whispered and stepped completely into the room, "I've been thinking and I just wanted to say I'm sorry about being such a bitch since we were little kids."

Daisuke and Akio stared at her like they were looking at a ghost.

"And I could really use a shower-"

Akio jumped to his feet and snatched her up into a hug. She stiffened and then relaxed into him. This was the first time she had ever hugged one of her teammates and she did not expect it to be Akio.

"I thought you two said she was dead." Ibiki commented, tensely. "She looks pretty alive to me."

Their Sensei separated the Aburame from her and his dark eyes settled on her neck. She looked up at him, determined to return his hard stare without showing how badly she was bothered by her new scar. Daisuke's face paled when he saw it.

Ibiki tilted her chin to get a better look, but she pulled away.

"I'm not on display," she took a step back.

Daisuke audibly swallowed, "It needs to be cleaned, Shi-Shi-chan. We can't really see it with all the blood dried on there."

"I didn't really get time to wash off," she explained.

She still felt detached. It was the only way she could cope with the situation at that moment.

"Here, I have some bandages," Daisuke's voice sounded weak, "Let me clean it for you, okay? It'll make me feel like all that time shadowing in the hospital meant _something._ "

From his expression as he cleaned the blood away she knew that it was _bad._

"We," Daisuke paused, "We wouldn't have left you if we knew you were still alive."

Akio watched them wordlessly, but he stood closer than he would have before the incident.

"I know," Arashi sniffled and covered her face with her hands as her eyes burned with tears. "I _really_ don't want to cry, so let's not talk about it right now, okay?"

Daisuke nodded.

"I know their side of the story," Ibiki commented, "but I'd like to hear yours."

"I'll tell you everything, Sensei, after we're done here. Just not right now."

"Alright," he consented, gruffly.

Ibiki was not happy with what had happened and his team was going to get a piece of his mind over the ordeal, but with a sigh he draped his arm over Arashi's shoulders. It could wait until later.

They still had a riddle to answer before they could advance to the next round.

* * *


	15. Lost Innocence

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arashi learns who she will be facing in the final test and has to come to terms with being a kunoichi. Itachi is too perceptive.

**"If Heaven does not exist, enrich your knowledge and prepare for the chance. If Earth does not exist, run the fields in search of an advantage. Open the series of Heaven and Earth and the perilous way shall be redressed. This is names the secret of the 'one that guides..'"**

"That's totally about the scrolls we just mugged half the competition for," Daisuke sniffed. "What kind of riddle even is this? It's so obvious."

Akio grunted.

"Remember our instructors going over this?" Arashi asked. "The Third Hokage wrote this ages ago."

Daisuke gave her a funny look, "I don't think the class really paid attention. You and that prodigy friend of yours were the ones that liked history."

She sighed, "It's about seeking knowledge and wisdom if you're dumb as a rock. If you're a total wuss you need to work on building your physical strength. Stuff any shinobi should do, really."

"Right," Daisuke tried to look directly into her face and not at her neck, "We should just go ahead and open these scrolls. Pretty much tells us to do that."

Arashi pulled out the scrolls she had stashed in her bag. It made more sense than unsealing the set that was hidden away. She tried to focus on the task at hand instead of the bandage that was now concealing her scar or the blood stained clothing she wore. If she acknowledged those things in depth, she knew she would be unable to continue.

Ibiki watched them from the other side of the room. His arms were crossed over his chest and a smirk bent his lips.

Arashi handed one scroll to Daisuke.

"Wanna do this at the same time?" he asked.

"Why not?" She shrugged.

They opened the scrolls at the same time. The three Genin looked at the content dubiously, and their eyes widened. On the paper in their hands was written a space-time ninjutsu - specifically a summoning jutsu - and by opening the scrolls it had been activated.

Smoke began to pour out of them. Arashi and Daisuke dropped them on the ground. They jumped back and braced themselves.

With a poof, a proctor appeared in front of them. Before he could address the Genin in front of him, he locked eyes with their sensei.

"You can take it from here," Ibiki informed him. "It's your duty to deliver the message."

He nodded and regarded the Genin once again.

Daisuke and Arashi waved their hands around to direct all of the smoke from their faces. Akio coughed into his coat sleeve. Once the air was clear and the hacking died down, Arashi regarded the Chuunin. She had seen him around before, but did not recall a name.

"Now, if you're all done," the Chuunin chuckled, "I will explain the purpose of the second round. As you just saw, upon opening the scrolls I was summoned. If you had opened a scroll while not in this tower and violated the rules, you would have been incapacitated and disqualified. This test was designed to examine your ability to carry out a mission properly, survive in harsh conditions, and how well you could handle hostile shinobi."

They waited for him to continue.

"As for the message on the wall, it's a message to Chuunin that the Hokage wrote."

Arashi shifted her weight from foot to foot. She was ready to be done with this step of their exam. She was ready to be anywhere but there.

He gave each of them a friendly grin, "If your weakness is your intellect, seek to improve your logic and reasoning. If your weakness is your body, seek to strengthen it. By strengthening your weaknesses, a mission that was once deadly to you will no longer be as perilous."

"So, that's it?" Daisuke asked. "Is this all we needed to do?"

The Chuunin nodded, "Yes. Congratulations."

* * *

Only three teams passed the second test: the Mist team, the Stone team, and Team Morino.

They all gathered together in a room and stood at attention in front of the Hokage and each of the squads' Sensei. The proctors over the second test stood with them, as well.

Arashi's stomach knotted and a lump formed in her throat.

Satoshi was standing right across from her.

He gave her a wide grin and waved. Akio took a step toward him, but she caught his arm and forced him to stop. There was no point in being disqualified for breaking the "no violence unless authorized" rule right in front of their village's leader.

"All right," the Hokage raised his voice in order for everyone to hear, "Before we progress to the final test, I want to explain the real purpose behind this exam. Why do allied nations conduct these tests on a conjoint basis?"

Everyone was silent as they respectfully waited for him to continue.

"To raise the level of the shinobi and the friendships among our nations," he explained.

_My experience is the opposite,_ She touched the bandage over her neck.

He took a draw from his pipe before he continued, "But it won't do any good to have the wrong idea of the true meaning of that statement. These tests are, so to speak, a microcosm of battle between allied nations."

_That_ was _my experience._

"If we look back on our history, the allied nations of today were once neighboring nations at war with one another in a continuous vie for power. In order to avoid crushing each other's militaries futilely, these nations mutually agreed to a place of battle. That is the true origin of the Chuunin Selection Exam."

Arashi hardly heard what her kage was saying. She tried to focus on his words, but being a few feet from Satoshi made her feel vulnerable. The ease in which he destroyed her made her knees weak. She wanted to run away. His signature was the first she would have described as being _wrong_.

She forced herself to focus on the speech the Hokage was working his way through.

"This allows us to select shinobi worthy of being Chuunin, but it also allows those who carry their nation's pride to fight for their lives! Feudal lords and those of prominence from many nations who request shinobi for missions are invited to this third test as guests. Together, the feudal lords and Head Ninja of each village of the nations will watch your battles."

_For amusement and to get a good look at which up and coming ninjas will be worth their ryo in the future._ Her lips thinned into a line. _Prove your worth and make your living or humiliate yourself and be ignored by those of importance._

"If the difference in power between the shinobi becomes unbridgeable, the strong nations are inundated with job requests. The requests

of nations deemed weak decline. Therewithal, we can exert pressure upon each neighboring nation."

_Power plays without war._

"This test is the venue to see the strength of each shinobi's home. Because it is a test where you truly fight for your life, it therefore has meaning. It's for this very reason that our forerunners fought. It is a dream worth striving for."

_We're all little pawns._ She ran her fingers across the fabric of her bandage. _This_ friendship _that he talks about isn't really friendship. It's us fighting for equilibrium, isn't it?_

"We fight to preserve the balance between our nations. This is the true meaning of friendship for shinobi."

Her frown deepened.

"Now, for the final round," he smiled, "I need each of you to take a single slip of paper from this box."

Arashi's eyes fell on the proctor holding a box with an opening in the top, _So, we're doing a drawing._

The proctor went from person to person and when he finally got to her, she pulled a slip out. There was a number printed on it.

"Good," Ibiki held a clipboard in his hands and a pen, "Now that everyone has a number, from left to right, tell me the number on your slip of paper."

The tallest Mist shinobi spoke first, "Two."

The Stone shinobi she recognized as Ryota went next, "Four."

Daisuke looked at his paper and frowned, "Four."

Satoshi grinned and chirped out, "Three!"

Arashi began to shake.

Akio was next, "Two."

The shortest Mist ninja called out, "One."

The last Stone ninja, Soma, held up his paper, "One."

The final Mist ninja sneered, "Five. I guess I don't go in round one or something?"

Arashi felt like she was falling, " _Three_."

Ibiki jotted a few things down and turned it around for everyone to see. It was a roster for the third test. They were all to fight in a tournament.

Arashi wanted to throw up - her opponent was none other than Satoshi.

"Oh! I get to fight the doll again!" He looked at her with that same predatory glint in his eyes. "This will be good!"

_I can't do this._

She could feel her teammates fuming. Daisuke placed a hand on her shoulder and glared over at the Stone ninja while Akio leered at him with his fists clenched. If no one else was around, she had no doubt that her teammates would have tried to kill him right then and there.

Once everyone became quiet again, the Hokage continued, "Through this tournament, we are able to evaluate each of your individual skills in a fight. Many of you could become Chuunin and on the other hand, there's a chance none of you will. Some shinobi need only one round while others may require several. To advance in this tournament means to maximize your chances to appeal yourselves to the judges. Only those who possess the skills incumbent of a Chuunin will be promoted. Anymore questions?"

He was answered by silence. The rules were clear and the number of Genin to compete in the final round was scant enough that the roster was in no way confusing.

"Thank you for your patience," his weathered face cracked into a grin, "We will adjourn until next month."

As everyone began to clear out, Ibiki placed a hand on Arashi's shoulder. She looked up at him with her eyebrows knit together in confusion. He was usually far from a touchy feely Sensei, unless it was necessary to make contact during training. She knew he had no problems getting physical while interrogating someone, but he seemed otherwise averse to contact.

He threw a look over at Satoshi, "That the one?"

She answered with a nod.

His expression hardened and he steered her into a different room away from everyone else. Her teammates followed without a word. Anyone could tell they were furious and that they were having a team crisis. Other than a couple curious stares, they were left alone to do whatever they wanted.

Arashi chewed on her lips anxiously as soon as the door was shut behind them and she was alone with her squad. It was time for her side of the story.

_I'm not ready to talk about any of this._

The interrogator could have waited until the next day to make her explain. He could have connected the dots, took Daisuke and Akio's side of the story and left it at that, or he could have not asked at all. Then again, Ibiki was not typically the kind of man to pull any punches and he wanted to hear it from her.

"Do I have to talk about this now?"

His answer was to stare her down.

There was no point in arguing with him.

"I came up with a plan, but it was stupid. We should've just come here right after we got an Earth scroll and waited," she stared at her feet as she spoke. "It would've been the safest thing to do."

"Yes, it would have been," Ibiki agreed, "But I don't need to hear about your scroll collecting antics."

She hated how brittle she felt. She was sure he was using her behavior to analyze something about her. Whether that meant he wanted to see how she was coping without outright asking her or not, she was not sure.

"My jutsu worked," she winced, "sort of. It saved my life after he - after he did this to me. I slipped into that Lightning squad and we got here. Okay?"

Arashi knew that he knew she was leaving pretty much everything out, but she did not care. She was not ready to talk about what happened.

"Can I go home now?" Her voice shook, "I really want to get out of here."

Ibiki nodded and released her shoulder.

* * *

When Arashi finally made it home she went straight to her room.

Her father was not there. She assumed he was working. He was at the hospital more than he was ever home and for the first time she was happy he was not around. She needed to be alone without the questions she was sure he would ask.

Her room was just as she left it.

The bed was made, there was a romance novel on the nightstand - she still had not gotten around to reading anything she wanted to read - her bookshelf was organized, but her desk was a mess from all of her research, and in the corner her mirror stared at her. She refused to look at it. Her room was decorated with bright yellows and deep purples. Her vanity was covered with perfumes, ribbons, and makeup she rarely played around with, while the walls were decorated with family pictures.

Her room looked like the kind a naive civilian girl would have.

_If I die, mom will probably keep it looking just like this._

Arashi walked into her bathroom and turned the shower on. She needed to get all of the grime and dried blood off her body. She needed to feel clean again.

From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of her reflection in the mirror over the sink.

A morbid fascination came over her. She still had not seen the scar yet. From the reactions of other people, she expected it to be bad. Part of her did not want to see it - like if she did not acknowledge it, then it would go away - but she could not stop herself. She peeled the bandage away and stared in shock.

The scar spanned all the way across her neck at an angle. It was jagged from when the Fuin Shugotenshi desperately tried to knot the flesh back together. The jutsu was not supposed to leave a trace of any injury, but something had went wrong with it. She had not yet completed the technique, after all. She touched the thick scar tissue with shaky fingers. To say that it was unsightly would have been an understatement. It was hideous. She turned her head in order to get an even better look.

Satoshi nearly cut her head off.

It was so _deep_. The sight of it knocked the breath out of her. She should have died. She cheated death.

Her fascination was replaced with a frenzied panic. Arashi tore at her clothing to get it all off. When she stepped into the shower, the water at her feet turned to red as it rushed into the drain. She scrubbed at her skin - she needed to be clean. It was not just her blood but Jiro's, as well.

Killing him was an accident. If she could have, she would have saved him even though he was the one that attacked her. No one needed to die. If Satoshi had not been adamant about murdering her, then she would not be marred for the rest of her life and that boy would still be alive. Somewhere, Jiro was someone's _precious_ boy. Just as she was precious to her parents.

No matter how much Arashi scrubbed, she felt dirty.

_What happened wasn't my fault. I couldn't help it._ She forced her breathing to stay even. _I made it home. I'm safe._

She closed her eyes and leaned her face into the water.

_I'm safe now._

The memory of falling and choking slammed into her as hard as her body had hit the ground the day before.

She jerked away from the water and her eyes flew open.

_It's all over. I'm safe now. I'm home and I'm safe._

The mental dam that she built in order to keep the overwhelming emotions at bay crumbled.

She was a shinobi - she would never be safe.

Arashi sank to her knees. She knew that one day she would kill or she would be killed. She knew her profession was dangerous, whether she was on the front lines or standing back to offer support as a medic when it was needed. It was inevitable, but up to this point all of that seemed far away. Now, it was no longer a point in the future that she would handle when it came.

It was her reality.

Arashi felt weak. She wanted to push everything away and to forget any of it happened, but that was not an option. It was not a bad dream that she could wake up from.

Scarring was a part of any person's life and especially a ninja's. Arashi wanted to accept that and move on like a seasoned shinobi would. She wanted to be okay with the situation. A scar should not have mattered to her, but this one did. She would wear a token of Satoshi's _friendship_ for the rest of her life as a reminder of what it meant to be a shinobi.

It was time for her to accept what she was and to grow up.

In a month she had to face the person that stole her innocence from her and this time she would have no help from anyone.

_I can't handle him on my own._

Arashi cried in the shower until long after the water turned cold.

* * *

That morning she woke before her alarm went off. She dug through her closet until she found a scarf to tie around her neck. Once she was finished getting dressed and securing all of her supplies and pouches in their appropriate places, she looked at herself in the mirror that watched her from the corner.

In her horror the evening before, she had not noticed the rest of her appearance.

Arashi was dark around her eyes and her skin was pale enough to make her appear sick. She was thinner than she was a week before. The girl that stared back at her looked fragile. She looked like a victim that was trying to be brave.

Arashi sat in front of her vanity and spread the makeup out so that she could see everything. The only times she ever wore the stuff was when her mother wanted her to dress up for a festival or party. Sometimes they would try new products out before her mother decided to put them on sale in her salon.

With a sigh, she picked up a tube of concealer. She applied it around her eyes in an attempt to hide the sunken, darkness that came from the severe blood loss and trauma.

_I don't even know what I'm doing with this._

She squinted at her reflection and grabbed a small bottle of foundation.

_I guess a little is supposed to go a long way with this stuff? That's what Mom said, right?_

She smoothed the creamy liquid onto her skin. Following her mother's wisdom, she remembered to get her neck and behind her ears, as well.

_Well, I guess it does give me a little more color. I don't look terminal anymore. Pretty sure I used a little too much. Feels like I have mud on my face or something. I can't even feel the air on my skin._

She examined her eyes and frowned. The color and wideness of them made her seem innocent and doe -like. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing, but she needed to cover up anything that could be mistaken as weakness. She could not stand to see it in herself, anymore.

_Okay, eyeliner or some eye shadow first?_

She picked out a few natural matte colors to add some dimension to her eyes. Once she was sure she had everything smooth and that there were no harsh lines, she moved on to lining her eyes.

_Alright, don't make yourself look like a raccoon. Mom says that's tacky. You're going for more 'mature' and less vulnerable. Not tacky._

After she was done with that, she turned her head back and forth to see how everything looked and frowned once again.

_Do I even have eyelashes? Ugh, screw it. I'm not putting mascara on._

Arashi slid her glasses on and looked at her full appearance again. Her lips were cracked and pale.

_Where's that moisturizing gloss stuff Mom gave me a few weeks ago? Ahh, here it is._

She applied it to her lips and examined herself once again.

_I guess this works. Very_ civilian _of me, though._

The kunoichi was not wearing a _lot_ of makeup, but enough to cover up the visible after-effects of her recent injuries. As she hoped, it made her appear a little older and less like she had just been through the worst emotional breakdown of her life the night before. It was like wearing a mask.

Arashi had a lot to do and only a month to accomplish it.

_If I'm to take what his teammate said and make an assumption with it, then I'd say Satoshi's hurt girls before me. Maybe even killed them._ She thought to herself. _I could.. I could just forfeit the match, but I_ refuse _to give in to that freak._

The memory of the way that the boy's voice changed right before he tried to kill her was enough to make her hair stand on end. It made sense that their profession would draw the occasional person that got off on violence, but it would not surprise her at all if Satoshi turned into a serial killer in time - if he did not already have a small list of victims before her.

He was in no way an opponent she would wish on any Genin. This guy had no problems taking another person's life, whether it was necessary or not.

She put everything back the way it was before, fixed her bed, and left her room.

Her father was in the kitchen with a cup of tea. She slid by him and grabbed something to eat from one of the cabinets. With how much she had to do, she did not have time for a large breakfast. When her father took in her appearance, he raised his eyebrows.

"So, how did it go?" He asked.

"It went great, Daddy," she lied with a smile.

"What's up with the makeup? It's not like you. Are you hiding bruises?"

"What? No!" She feigned shock, "I just thought I'd use some of it. I miss Mom and it makes me think of her. She was just saying something about how I should take care of my appearance more before she left, you know."

Ookami snorted into his cup, "She'll be thrilled to hear you missed her when she gets back in a few weeks."

Arashi latched onto her lie and held on tight, "I miss having her and Kazika around."

He hummed his agreement and they lapsed into silence as she scarfed down her food.

"And the scarf?" Her father hesitated. "Are you hiding hickeys?"

The look of disgust that distorted her face was genuine.

" _Dad!_ " she hissed, "Like I'd let any of those guys even touch me like that!"

"Okay, okay," he held up his hands in surrender, "I'm just dreading the day you drag a boyfriend in here to show me."

"Dad, please don't have _that_ talk with me right now."

His eyes lit up with horror, "Oh, no way am I'm doing _that_. Your mom should've already covered all of _those_ bases."

" _Yeah_..."

They both stared at each other, awkwardly. The transition from innocent little girl to teenager that would soon have boyfriends was not easy for parents or the teenager.

He mumbled into his tea, sheepishly, "You're growing up on me and I'm not okay with that."

"I'll always be your girl, you know." As she had done for years, she gave him the best puppy-dog eyes she could muster, "But I've really gotta go start my training. I've only got a month!"

She kissed his cheek and ran out before he could say anything else.

* * *

Arashi made her way directly toward the Hokage's library.

As she jumped from roof to roof, she noted with no little amount of chagrin that Satoshi's chakra was nearby, but distant enough to feel like he was _lurking_. Just as he had done in the Forest of Death.

_Hopefully that's just a coincidence._

She wanted to think that it was, but as she moved, he stayed roughly the same distance from her. He _was_ following her.

_He knows I can sense him. He's doing this to taunt me. He's_ stalking _me._

Her fists clenched so tightly that the knuckles became white.

Relief washed over her as soon as she made it to her destination. Satoshi continued his game of following after her, but she knew he would not make a move when she was near other Konoha shinobi. She had become a normal sight for the ANBU stationed to monitor it as she worked on the Fuin Shugotenshi, but that day her project was far from her mind. It needed more work, but she had things higher on the list she needed to work on.

She peered through the shelves and searched until she found the jutsu she had on the forefront of her mind. The Kuchiyose no jutsu.

Another familiar signature entered her range and made its way toward her.

_Itachi?_ She frowned.

She did not want him to see her like this. Even though she went out of her way in an attempt to cover up how terrible she felt, she knew he would see through it. He was too intelligent and he knew her too well.

He knew that if everything was okay, she would have found him to chatter his ear off the day before, unless he was away on a mission or busy with his duties.

She cursed under her breath and memorized the hand-seals for the jutsu. Without signing a contract with an animal, she would be unable to summon anything.

_But if I use the jutsu, I will be reverse summoned to an animal I have an affinity with._

Arashi was tired of throwing all of her concerns and petty issues at Itachi. He had a life, he had his own career to focus on, he had a family that kept him busy, and although he was a dear friend she knew that he had priorities that were well above her. This was her problematic situation and she wanted to handle it herself.

Arashi _personally_ wanted to make sure Satoshi never hurt another girl.

Itachi entered the library and found her before she could slip out. He was in his ANBU gear, including his mask. He never seemed to care for wearing a mask.

_Great. He must have thought to check in here before he goes off on a mission or something._

She steeled herself and faced him.

"I thought you might be here," he explained, "How did you do?"

His eyes took in her face from the slits in the mask.

"I'm always here, you know," She forced a smile, "and I'll be going on to the next round. Sorry about not telling you yesterday. I was just exhausted so I went home to get some rest."

He raised a hand and she braced herself. For some reason he always flicked her nose, but instead he touched her face. He rubbed some of the foundation off her skin and looked at his fingers.

_Oh yeah, he knows something is up._

She tried to step away to distance herself from him, but a bookshelf was at her back.

"What? Did I put too much on?" She tried to make her tone cheerful.

His eyes settled on the scarf. Instead of asking as she thought he would, he simply tugged it away from her neck to see what she was hiding.

His eyes widened.

He did not have to utter any words. His eyes expressed his questions well enough. She did not want to tell him who did this to her or how it happened. Arashi was no longer the girl with ribbons in her hair that cried when she did not get her way.

She reached behind her back. As subtly as she could, she cut her palm on the tip of a kunai and formed the hand-seals as he searched her face for answers.

Itachi's eyes hardened, "Arashi-"

She vanished in a cloud of smoke.

She refused to let him see her in such a brittle state.


	16. Sukai

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arashi probably doesn't have the best ideas and goes on the ride of her life.

The last thing Arashi saw in Konoha was Itachi giving her the hardest look she had ever seen on his face. As she knew he would, he saw through her facade and her lack of explanation led him to figuring out what had her acting dodgy. It hurt to close herself off from him. It hurt to see his ever gentle eyes change. They were intense beyond his age - she never realized he had that in him.

Those were the thoughts that rushed through her mind as her body was snatched away by the time-space ninjutsu and teleported elsewhere.

This was her fight.

At first, Arashi was disoriented. She had never experienced what it felt like to be teleported before. It was like she blinked and was suddenly in a completely different place in the world. The kunoichi turned and looked around at her surroundings. She had no idea where she was.

The jutsu pulled her to a plateau tucked into what she assumed was a small mountain range. Perhaps a mile in front of her was a cliff-side that was taller than the Hokage's monument. When she turned to see what was behind her, she was met by grassland for miles upon miles that eventually climbed into a mountainside. There were very few trees in the area and a dizzy spell came over her - she felt like she was going to fall into the sky.

There were no shinobi within her range. In fact, she could not feel the signatures of any human beings. The only chakra of note she could sense was above her, but when she looked up she could see nothing but clouds.

_That's weird._

She had expected something else. She was not sure what, but it definitely was not this.

_I'm feeling cheated._

According to what she read about the Kuchiyose no jutsu, she should have been in the home of the animal she shared an affinity with, but she could not see this supposed animal anywhere.

_Maybe I just need to search? I mean, maybe it transported me to the home of that animal, but it's just out of my range or something._

Arashi shouldered her pack and began to walk out into the grassland. There was proof that animals lived in the area, but all of the tracks she saw seemed to belong to livestock like cattle of some sort. The point of her gamble with the Kuchiyose no jutsu was to find a partner of sorts to help her with her upcoming fight. Summons were allowed and she planned to take advantage of that. They were considered an extension of the shinobi, so it would not be her depending on another person for aid. It would be Arashi falling back on her resourcefulness.

_If it turns out I share an affinity with a cow, I'm going to be mad. That's the last thing I need._

She needed to sign a contract soon in order for her to get back to Konoha. The Fuin Shugotenshi needed to be tweaked again and eventually perfected, she needed to learn at least one offensive jutsu, and she needed to cram in as much training as she could.

_I'll have to come up with a really, really good excuse and explanation for Ibiki Sensei, too._

Arashi had no idea where she was. For all she knew, she could be in a different country, a scant handful of miles away from a Hidden Village that would interrogate her and put her to death if they found her trespassing. Even if that was not the case, she still was unsure as to how far away from Konoha she was. She could have teleported herself a month's travel on foot away. In fact, she did not even know which direction she needed to go to get home.

_Maybe this really wasn't the best idea I've ever had._

No one would have any idea where she was - not her teammates, her parents, nor her sensei. The only lead anyone would have was Itachi and he was dressed for a mission. His missions could take anywhere from a few days to a week in most cases. Chances were that it would not take long for her squad to start thinking something bad happened to her. Especially since Satoshi was lurking in their village now.

_Screw it. I hope Ibiki Sensei interrogates him. To death._

She hoped that the Stone ninja would not prey on anyone else while she was away. It was a safe bet that he would not make any moves while Konoha shinobi were around, but Arashi did not have a high opinion of the boy's sanity.

_His teammate knows how he is. Was Ryota his name?_ She frowned. _Satoshi's shown this side before and his team apparently just puts up with it._

She blinked out of her thoughts and trekked up a small hill. Once she got to the top, she stared down at a herd of cattle.

_Cows. Great._

She squinted at them.

_I guess I could summon a whole herd and have them trample that psycho into the dirt._

A bull separated itself from the rest of the herd and approached her. Once it was around twenty feet from her, it turned so that she could see its full broadside. It was a tremendous animal - for livestock. She could make out nothing that indicated that it belonged to a farmer, so she assumed it was wild. Arashi frowned. It bowed its head down and the hair along its spine rose.

_Okay, well, I guess this is happening._

It shook its head from side to side and let out a low bellow.

_I mean, it looks pretty sturdy and strong. I wonder what it would be like to ride that thing into battle._

Arashi was not sure what she expected, but a small part of her hoped it would be something majestic and terrifying all at once - not like the bears in the Forest of Death because those things were just hell spawn demons - but something that a shinobi could identify with. Something like a tiger or a panther.

Not a cow with horns.

_Well, I guess Mom always said I was stubborn. Bulls are stubborn. Maybe this guy is like.. my spirit animal or something._

She pulled out a scroll and showed it to the animal. It stamped the ground and snorted.

"Hey, big guy, can you talk? You know what a blood contract is?"

The wind caught the scroll and unwound it until it fluttered like a flag in the breeze. The whites of the bull's eyes flashed and it let out another bellow.

_Okay, that looks kind of aggressive._

Arashi glanced around for something to put between herself and the animal, but she was in open grassland and the closest tree looked like it was at least a mile away. She took a step back. The bull turned to face her directly, horns pointed right at her.

_Yeah, no, this is a bad idea._

She took another step back and it took a step forward.

_I'm going to make a run for that tree._

Arashi spun on her heel and ran. With a loud bellow the bull followed after her.

_Why me? Why?!_

She knew she could take the animal out with a kunai or a chakra scalpel, but it was just an animal. She doubted it had ever even seen a person before, so of course it would be hostile. She cursed under her breath as it gained on her and she focused chakra into her legs for a boost a speed.

_If I can make it to that stupid tree, I can wait for it to get bored and it'll just leave me alone._

The signature above her from before moved - rapidly.

_This is some real bull-shi-_

A gale hit the grassland and the force of it was so strong that it threw Arashi down. She landed on her face in a heap that was not befitting a kunoichi. The bull cried out as a flash of slate gray and talons knocked it off its feet and it rolled across the ground. Arashi picked herself up and dusted the grass off her clothing. The animal was in the midst of its death throes, but her attention was far from that detail.

The largest falcon she had ever seen in her life stood over it.

_The bird! That's the chakra signature I felt from before!_

The falcon tore into the bull with its hooked beak. It was easily large enough that it could have picked the bull up and carried it away if it wanted to, but it was comfortable eating in front of the girl. Its eyes were dark and circled with yellow and its talons glinted like blades in the light. The downy feathers on its underside were white, while the feathers on its back were a slate gray. Its beak was black where the bull's blood did not stain it.

She eyed it, cautiously as she scooped the would-be-contract scroll off the ground and gathered her thoughts.

_This has to be it._

The way that the bird tore its prey apart made her nervous.

_It could kill me with no problems._

She cleared her throat, but the bird continued to ignore her presence.

"Um, hey! Can you talk?" She spoke loudly and clearly. "I was wondering if you would sign a contract with-"

The falcon turned and shrieked at her so loudly that her ears rang. Once it was sure she was bullied into silence, it continued to eat.

_Okay, so birds are giant dicks._

"That was rude." She huffed.

" _Kak?_ " Slowly, it turned to regard her again, " _Kak!_ It's rude to want me to sign a contract with you without a proper introduction, little meal."

Its voice was masculine, or at least she thought it was masculine for a bird.

She gaped, _Little meal?_

He ruffled his feathers and continued eating.

"Um, sorry! This is just my first time ever doing something like this," Arashi explained. "My name is Ran Arashi, kunoichi of Konohagakure."

"A kunoichi?"

He shifted away from his food and cocked his head to one side to get a better look at her. She held her breath as his eye came within a few feet of her. He was a huge falcon.

She swallowed and nodded, "Yes."

" _Kak_ , this is the first time a shinobi's had the nerve to approach me," he took another step closer to her until his eye was just inches from her face, "What makes you think I won't just eat you?"

She squared herself, "What reason would you have to do that? I wouldn't even be a snack for you."

He pulled his head back and let out a laugh, " _Kak kak kak_! You wouldn't even be a morsel, would you, little meal?"

_I don't think this is what I bargained for._

" _Kak kak kak!"_

_Yeahh..._ She pursed her lips, "So, you going to keep squawk-laughing at me or can I talk to you about this contract stuff?"

" _Kak_ , make your case, little meal," he shuffled over to the carcass and began feeding again.

_Crap. What should I even say?_ She struggled to think of something appropriate, "I'll be honest, I guess. I'm a medical ninja and I'm good at tracking people, but when it comes down to a fight I'm, well, not exactly the best. I have a fight soon that I can't handle on my own-"

"You are weak?" He ruffled his feathers and turned his attention to her again. " _Kak_?"

She bristled, "No."

" _Kak!_ " He stood to his full height and peered down at her inquisitively, "If you were not weak, then you would not need me."

Arashi ground her teeth, "Just because I don't have brute force-"

" _Kak!_ " He shrieked to silence her, "You expect me to acknowledge someone who is weak, little meal?"

"You will acknowledge me because I am _not_ weak," she hissed.

"Why would I sign my freedom away to someone who cannot take care of herself, _kak_?" He spread his wings out and beckoned to the area around him, "All of this is my territory, little meal. I feed on what I wish, _kak_. I go where I wish. Here, I am feared."

"I'm not asking you to give it up," Arashi replied. "I'm asking you to help me."

" _Kak!_ Help comes to those who help themselves, little meal. Help yourself or die. It is the way of the world. Either you are strong or you are weak."

She clenched her fists.

The falcon tilted his head one way and then the other, as if he was thinking.

"Hear me out-"

He shrieked until her ears rang again.

_I am going to_ kill _this bird._

"I am done with this, little meal." He picked up the carcass in one of his talons and dropped it at her feet. "You may have the scraps, _kak_. I am leaving."

Her turned and spread his wings to take flight.

_Oh. No. Way._

Arashi ran and leaped on the bird's back just as it beat the air with its wings and lifted off the ground.

"You will acknowledge me!" Arashi screamed, "Sign the contract!"

"Get off of my back, _kak_!"

"No!"

With just a few more beats of his wings, the falcon had them high off the ground. Arashi's head spun when she looked down. Everything appeared to be tiny. The wind whipped her hair around, wildly, and the sensations of the forces pulling and pushing her body were surreal. She tightened her grip on the downy under feathers and steeled herself.

_This is so stupid._

The falcon tried to peck her, but she was positioned on his back so that he could not reach her. He screeched in annoyance and turned toward the cliff side Arashi was originally reverse summoned next to. As the wall of rock drew closer and closer, her eyes widened.

_He's going to try to scrape me off!_

He turned on his side and Arashi scrambled from his back to his side - gripping his feathers like she was climbing a mountain.

She barely avoided being clipped off and falling to her death.

_Talk about a near miss._

The feathers in Arashi's grasp came out of the falcon's skin.

" _Kak!_ "

Arashi shrieked.

_No! No! No! No!_

The wind pushed her off the bird and she reached wildly to latch onto anything. In her blind terror, she managed to grab onto one of the falcon's legs.

He leveled out and glided away from the cliff.

"You are still there, little meal?"

She glared up at him.

" _Kak!_ "

He shook her violently, but she refused to release his leg. If there was one thing Arashi had, it was a monstrous grip.

The bird raised his free talon and focused chakra to it.

_He has a wind affinity. If he hits me with a chakra infused talon, he could cut me in half!_

Arashi's eyes widened and she reached for a kunai with one hand. She focused chakra into the weapon.

His talon lunged at her and she deflected the strike with her kunai - once - twice - three times.

_He's trying to kill me!_

She looked at her kunai. It was ruined from the dents and gashes in the metal.

_That's not good._

Arashi dropped the destroyed weapon and looked upward. It was imperative that she get to a safer position. She swallowed over the lump in her throat and swung her body back. She latched onto his tail feathers where he could no longer reach her as easily with his talons.

_This is crazy! I'm going to get myself killed!_

He screeched in protest as she began to use his tail feathers to climb onto his back. Once she was in a good position, she anchored herself down and caught her breath.

_I can't give up. I need this contract in order to beat Satoshi. I have people I need to live for. This isn't about me. I'm a medical ninja of Konohagakure - I have to survive in order to make sure other people survive!_

The falcon tucked one of his wings in and flipped over.

_Annd I'm upside down now._

Her mouth fell open.

They were heading straight for a copse of trees on one of the mountaintops.

_So he's going to knock me into trees now?!_

Once again, Arashi scrambled to change her position. She managed to scale to the underside of the bird, which was now pointing upward.

A large eye fell on her and he stabbed at her with his beak.

Arashi deflected the attacks with another kunai.

_You have got to be kidding me!_

The falcon turned his attention forward again and began to flip back over to correct his flight.

_Crap, crap, crap!_

Arashi threw her kunai away and scaled onto the bird's back once again. His head turned back and forth as he looked for something else to knock her off with. Arashi took the respite to catch her breath again.

"Just sign the contract!" She screamed over the wind.

The falcon screeched at her.

She screamed back at him.

_I am not letting go of this stupid bird until he agrees to work with me. Otherwise all of this was for nothing._

The falcon's chakra shifted and wrapped around him like a cloak.

_What is he up to?_

Arashi's tightened her grip on his feathers.

The wind around them began to whip around violently. It reminded her of the gale that appeared before he killed the cow. The cloak, on the other hand, she had not seen yet.

The falcon beat the air with his wings and took them even higher. Block spots began to form in Arashi's sight and her skin became chilled.

_The air is so thin up here._

The falcon tucked his wings in and dove.

Her heart dropped into her stomach.

They picked up speed. They plummeted toward the ground faster than she thought was possible. The wind whipped past her so fast that her skin felt like it was being pulled off her skull. She was forced to tuck her face into his feathers to shield herself.

She would have screamed, but she could not find the breath in order to do so.

The ground was right in front of them.

_We're going to crash!_

At the last moment, the falcon opened his wings and redirected. They swept through the grassland and such a speed that everything was a blur.

It took everything in her to hold on.

With another beat of his wings, he flew toward another mountain side.

_I am so done with this craziness,_ She raised her voice to yell over the wind, "Acknowledge me, dammit!"

Her circled around the mountaintop, instead of trying to scrape her off again.

She blinked in surprise.

" _Kak,_ you are fierce, little meal!"

"My name is Arashi!"

He slowed their velocity and landed on the mountain. She clung to his back and glared up at his beaked face. The bird ruffled his feathers and peered down at her.

"Get off, _kak._ "

"I'm not going anywhere until you agree to work with me."

"If you do not get off my back, I will never work with you. _Kak!_ I will fly until you pass out and I'll let you fall to your death, little meal."

"I would rather die than fail!" She lied through her teeth.

" _Kak kak kak!_ "

"You're squawk-laughing again?" Arashi hissed. "Am I that funny to you?"

"Weak you might be, but you are also determined, Arashi."

She blinked, _He used my name?_

" _Kak_ , I've never dealt with shinobi much. I'm not familiar with your kind. You are just a fledgling, aren't you?"

"Uh, fledgling? Oh, like a kid?"

"Where is your brood mother? Should she not teach you to be strong, _kak_?"

_Oh yeah. Falcons teach their young to hunt and stuff._

"My mother can't fight for me in this. It's just me."

_"Kak?_ "

"This fight is going to be for my life. I'm a shinobi," she explained, "We have to prove our worth in our profession to shape the rest of our lives."

"So your kind makes their fledglings fight to the death?"

"Yes, when the need comes," Arashi replied. "A shinobi's life is to be a weapon that is used to uphold the balance and _friendship_ between our nations."

"Friendship, _kak_?"

_I think I might have an idea..._

"Yeah," she replied, "Tell me, when you hunt do you do it for enjoyment or do you do you because it is a necessity?"

"Necessity, but I also enjoy it, _kak._ "

"But what would happen if you just went through your territory killing everything?"

" _Kak_ , I would not. It would be pointless."

"I'm going to be fighting someone who kills people, pointlessly."

" _Kak?_ "

"I need you in order to beat this person."

The falcon ruffled his feathers and shuffled his feet.

_Well, at least he's listening to me now._

"Get off my back, little Arashi."

She groaned, _Not this again._

" _Kak,_ you will need to rest. We have work to do tomorrow. We'll talk about the contract after you prove one more thing to me."

"R-really?"

" _Kak_! Someone must teach you if your brood mother cannot!"

She grinned from ear to ear and slid off his back.

"Tell me more of this Konohagakure."

"Okay, just let me set up a little camp or something."

* * *

The falcon had been very interested in her village - even if a lot of his interest concerned the kinds of animals the bird could eat and the like. Once his questions were answered, he left her alone for the evening. She re-applied her Fuin Shugotenshi, brushed through the giant rat's nest her hair was knotted into, and tried to locate a decent place to throw her sleeping bag. It did not take long for her to fall asleep after the fiasco that the bird put her through.

It was odd to sleep away from civilization. She was used to having at least her team near her and every time she thought she was comfortable, she would realize there was a rock or root jabbing into her. There was no denying that she was spoiled to a bed, but she was tired enough that it did not matter. This was the first step to her claiming her independence as a shinobi.

Arashi did not expect to be awoken the next morning by a squealing boar.

In her half asleep state of being, she struggled to free herself from her sleeping bag and lunge toward her kunai pouch. Blearily, she looked up to see the falcon carrying the boar over her head.

_Breakfast?_

The bird dropped his prey outside her camp and landed in front of her as the swine scurried away.

" _Kak_! It's getting away! Teach me you can hunt!"

She gaped at the falcon, "What?"

" _Kak!_ "

The kunoichi pulled a kunai out of her pouch.

The bird pecked it out of her hand.

"What are you doing?!" she hissed.

"No weapons! _Kak!_ Hurry!"

"Okay, whatever!"

Arashi ran after the boar. She crashed through underbrush and ran as fast as her feet could carry her. The falcon's claws had left lacerations in the animal's skin, so it was easy enough for her to follow the blood splatters.

_What does he want me to do when I find it? Strangle it to death?_ She huffed. _And how can something so fat run so fast?_

She jumped over another bush and caught sight of her quarry.

It squealed and picked up speed.

_Lovely!_

No one would have denied that chasing a wild boar down the side of a mountain was dangerous. Arashi half ran, half fell after it until she finally managed to corner it in a gully. The falcon glided overhead to watch her progress.

_I will kill that bird someday and eat it someday._

The boar turned and squealed at her. Its skin was coated in its own blood and the whites of its eyes flashed with fear. She eyed its tusks. If it got her with those, it would do more than a little bit of damage.

_And now I have to kill this poor, stupid thing to prove myself to a bird._ She focused her chakra to her hand to form a scalpel. _I bet he eats it in front of me, too._

The boar charged her.

Arashi dodged the swipe of its tusks and latched onto its back.

_Ew! Ew! Ew! Its blood is as thick and slick as grease!_

She dug her fingernails into the thick hide of the animal and gagged at its stench. It squealed and tried to throw her off its back. With a shout, she drove the scalpel into the boar's spinal cord.

Its legs buckled underneath it collapsed. She rolled to her feet and walked away from it.

_I am never going to do that again._

Arashi looked down at herself and grimaced.

She was covered in blood and what she was certain was boar feces.

_I will never be clean again._

One of the many disadvantages of being out in the middle of wilderness was that there were no showers with copious amounts of hot water.

" _Kak!_ Good job, little Arashi!"

The falcon landed next to her quarry and rested his talon on it.

_Yep. He's going to eat it._

"This is just the first step, _kak._ " He cocked his head to one side to examine her as he spoke, "I wanted you to prove to me that you weren't a fledgling that could not hunt."

_Yeah, people are different than birds, but I guess if he's caught up on that, I'll just let him ramble on that way._

"There is much more we should do, but first we eat for our strength."

_I really don't want to eat that thing. It is covered in its poop. Which, I guess that goes for me, too._

Arashi decided she would change the subject and sneak ration bars when the bird was not looking, "So, you'll sign a blood contract with me?"

"I will, _kak_." He shuffled toward her. "But first I want one thing."

"Like what?"

His eye settled on her hitai-ate.

"Wait," her hands went up to her headband, defensively. "You can't be serious? It's just a piece of metal on cloth."

"I like it, _kak._ I like how it catches the light."

_Birds and shiny things..._

She pulled if away from her forehead and examined it, "I've had this since I first became a Genin. It means something to me."

" _Kak._ You will be the first shinobi I sign a contract with."

"So," she snorted, "It's like a bargain?"

The bird nodded his head and shuffled even closer to her.

"Alright," she sighed, "But first I have a question and you'd better answer it!"

" _Kak?_ "

"What is your name? I introduced myself and you never returned the favor."

"My name is Sukai."

"Nice to meet you."

She looked at her hitai-ate longingly one last time and sat it down. Arashi had a contract to write and sign. She pulled out the scroll that she waved at the bull the day before and spread it on the ground in front of her. Sukai cocked his head from one side to the other as she wrote on the paper.

_I guess it's a good thing I'm so obsessed with this stuff. Otherwise, I'd never know how to write one of these things up properly._

Sukai was not a tiger or a lion, but she was happy to share an affinity with him. Anything was better than the bull she tried to talk herself into accepting.

Arashi would have been too ashamed to summon a cow.


	17. Premeditation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arashi probably doesn't have the best ideas and has some explaining to do.

Arashi spent several days with Sukai in his territory before they ventured out. She was still not sure how far from Konoha they were, but figured it was better to practice riding Sukai and working with him away from prying eyes. He was stubborn and a bit on the rude side, but she did not mind. If anything, it helped distract her from dwelling too much on her scar, Jiro, and Satoshi. The only time she had a hard time not thinking too much was when she tried to sleep at night.

Which, in turn, meant she did not get enough sleep.

Arashi tried to blame other things, such as the roots or rocks that always managed to jab into her back, or the lack of a nice pillow, or her need of a proper shower. Sukai was not familiar enough with people to tell that she was lying when he inquired why it took longer each morning for her to pull herself off the ground or why her eyes had bags under them. He accepted what she told him with a ruffle of his feathers and moved on.

It went on that way until Arashi was confident they were ready to go to the Village Hidden in the Leaves.

_Those silver linings,_ she thought and then yelled over the wind, "Okay, so, we'll find a town, get our bearings and head back Konoha!"

" _Kak._ "

_I hope I don't pick that up as a verbal tic._

The first sight of civilization they found was a small farming community.

Arashi squinted down at the houses and farmland as Sukai circled around. She estimated there was only about fifty people in the entire village - if that many. That was a good thing. The last thing she needed was to walk into a guarded town and run into foreign shinobi.

_Hmm, I can't really sense any outstanding chakras._

A shinobi's signature was disciplined. It always felt different to her than a civilian's, even from a distance. As they drew nearer, she pegged their nationality.

_Okay. So, we're in the Land of Fire. Somewhere. Good._

She peered over the side of the falcon and tried to make out the buildings.

_Hm. I don't see a hotel. At least not one that I can make out._ She frowned and then shrugged, _Well, I'll just sneak into someone's house for a shower._

"Sukai, land in a field," she yelled, "So I can figure out which direction we need to go in."

The falcon touched down in the center of a field.

Several children that had been playing stopped what they were doing and stared in shock. Arashi slid off the bird's back and waved to the kids. They gaped at Sukai with wide eyes.

"Hey there!" She smiled, "I'm a little lost. Care to tell me where I am?"

No answer came.

They were all dressed in basic, patched clothing. Their faces were dirty and their hair was a mess. Despite Arashi's attempt to pretend her summon was not there and appear friendly, not a single one of the children paid any attention to her. Even when she cleared her throat and waved again.

_Well._

Sukai cocked his head to one side, " _Kak_ , hurry, little Arashi. Directions."

The children shrieked and ran away.

"Well, that happened," Arashi mumbled and then turned her attention to Sukai, "I'm thinking you should go hunt or stay out of sight. Scaring the locals probably isn't the best idea."

He ruffled his feathers, "I will watch for you. Come here when you are ready, _kak._ "

"Will do."

Arashi made her way into the tiny village.

_Directions, then a shower._

The roads were made of dirt, the buildings were basic but sturdy, and there appeared to be little else but homes and a general store. It was the smallest community she had ever been in. She was accustomed to the buildings of her home. Her parents had chosen to settle on the outskirts of Konoha, but there was always a neighbor nearby. Still, it was refreshing to be out in the fresh air and away from the bustling streets.

_Alright, find a local._

From what Arashi could tell, most of the citizens were out in a field or busy elsewhere. She could sense some people inside their homes, but she felt awkward door knocking. She wanted to get her bearings and then slip into an empty house to borrow someone's bathroom. The fewer people that noticed her the better.

_Ah-ha! Old woman sitting on a porch. Good enough for me._

Arashi walked the rest of the way down the dirt road until she turned onto the pathway toward the farmhouse. On the porch of the squat building, an elderly woman watched the girl approach with a frown on her weathered face. Just as the children, this woman was dressed in simple clothing.

_Okay, here goes,_ She smiled, "Hey there, I'm a little lost. Could you point out where we are on my map or something? I need to be pointed toward Konohagakure."

"Konohagakure?" The woman repeated and leaned forward, "Not often we ever see someone traveling through our little village. 'Specially not a little girl all alone like you."

Arashi did not care to be identified by her age. She had given her hitai-ate to Sukai, but it was currently stowed in her pack until she could find a way to make a harness or vest of some type for the falcon in order for him to wear it. Without it, she felt naked and it made sense that someone would peg her as a normal teenage girl, but it bothered her. The woman's words made her feel like she was being judged as weak or vulnerable and it reminded her too much of what was hidden beneath her scarf.

Instead of showing her discomfort, she forced her smile to touch her eyes, "Oh? Well, I'm a kunoichi and I need to get back as soon as I can."

"Ohh, a little thing like you? A ninja?" The woman crooned, "But you have such a pretty face."

She did not know why, but the comment irked her.

"You sound like my mother. You're embarrassing me when I should be worrying about getting home," Arashi deflected, "Will you help me?"

"Of course, sweetie."

Once Arashi had her bearings and the village's location circled on her map, she thanked the woman and left. They were close to the southern border of the Land of Fire, but with Sukai she was confident it would not take long to travel north to Konoha. Being able to fly over obstacles while traveling faster than she was capable on foot was invaluable. She was convinced that the falcon was better than any tiger or panther if only for the travel capabilities.

_Shower time._

Arashi located an empty home, shimmied her way in through an unlocked window and located the bathroom. It felt strange to be in someone else's home without their permission in order to use their facilities, but she was desperate to get a taste of proper hygiene again. She looked at herself in a mirror and frowned at the dark rings around her eyes.

The young kunoichi did not perceive her reflection as _pretty_ as the old woman seemed to think.

She poked her cheeks and tried to rub color into her face. In her rush to try out the Kuchiyose jutsu and sign a contract with an animal, she had not thought to pack makeup. Tired, doe-like eyes stared back at her and despite her efforts to make her skin hold more color she was still pale. There was no denying she could use a reprieve to recover, but she doubted she could find rest, anyway.

There was still too much to do.

Arashi peeled her clothes off, sealed the articles away and unsealed a fresh change of clothing. When she stepped into the hot spray of water, she wanted to shed tears of joy. After days of washing up in streams of cold water, this was _divine_. The heat eased away the kinks and tension in the muscles of her shoulders and back.

_Oh, this feels amazing._

She took her time until the water began to turn cold and then she stepped out to dry off. It did occur to her that Suaki was waiting, but she figured the bird needed to hunt or would enjoy some time to himself, at the very least. She felt no shame for treating herself.

_Still no one nearby. Good. It would be amazingly awkward to be caught in the nude here._

Arashi dressed and checked her reflection again. She clicked her tongue. The kunoichi still looked like death warmed over, so she looked around until she found some makeup stashed away.

_Thank you, lady farmer-san for your contribution. I'll have to be sure to buy my own to keep with me for travel or something._

She dabbed under her eyes to conceal the bags. It helped her to not feel as easily red by others. She did not want people to see youth and inexperience when they looked at her. Even if that summed up who she really was. No one else needed to know that.

Arashi paused.

_I'm turning into my mother._

Naomi was always groomed, perfumed, and dressed to perfection.

_I'm not supposed to be turning into her this early in life!_

Horrified, Arashi put everything back the way she found it. It was likely the farmer's wife would notice something was off, so she placed a 'thank you' note on the sink.

_That will probbly freak her out more._

Arashi frowned.

_Eh, I'll just leave it._

When she stepped outside, she noticed something odd was going on farther in the town. A small group of people were gathered around the general store. She could only sense a few people in the surrounding fields, whereas before most of the population was busy working.

_That's strange. The weather's fine and I'm sure they still have plenty of work to do._ She chewed on her lip. _I guess I'll go check it out?_

As she drew close to the crowd of people, she heard the tones of their voices - frenzied, angry, and worried mixed into a chaotic mess of murmuring. Arashi knit her eyebrows together in confusion and tapped one of the farmers on the shoulder to get his attention. He turned and gave her a strange look.

_Ah, yeah, they're not used to seeing people travel through._

One of the children that she had seen before peered around him at her. Arashi waved at him and offered a smile.

The kid pointed at her and yelled, "It was her! She was the one that brought the bird here!"

"Um, what?" She took a step back.

The entire crowd turned to leer at her.

"What's going on?" Arashi took another step back.

"That demon bird of yours killed my most prized cow!" One of the farmers shouted from the back of the group.

"It spooked my sheep so bad they broke through their fencing! My boys are busy roundin' them up!" Another added.

Arashi's mouth formed an O, _Woops._

"It's only a matter of time before it starts carrying off our youngins!" A woman shrieked.

"Whoa!" Arashi held her hands up in front of her, "I don't think you need to worry about something like that! I'll go find him and we'll be right out of your hair like right now-"

Arashi ducked under a rock that was thrown at her head.

_Alright, time for me to get out of here!_

Without another word or any other attempt to explain herself, Arashi sprinted away. The crowd of angry farmers chased after her.

_I'm never approaching a mob ever again!_

Arashi put more distance between herself and the locals. She jumped over a fence and dashed through a field toward the rendezvous point set by the bird before she walked into the village. The falcon was nearby and in the air - she could feel him far above her, circling around.

She raised her hands above her head and waved her arms, wildly.

_Sukai, notice me already! There's a mob chasing me!_

The giant falcon dove down, swept over the heads of the locals and glided beside her. The gale that came with him knocked the farmers down and nearly threw Arashi, but she managed to keep her footing.

" _Kak_?"

Arashi jumped on his back, "Let's get out of here!"

* * *

Arashi stared down at Konoha from the Hokage monument. She was glad to be back. The jigsaw puzzle buildings greeted her in their own haphazard way. The civilians bustled about on the streets as they went about their business. She was home.

They had passed through the detection barrier that surrounded her village, so she was sure that the Detection Division knew she and the falcon were there. She was not sure whether the Interception Division would be sent to check on her or not - she doubted it - but she preferred to not have a giant bird with no social skills around if she did encounter them. Ibiki had mentioned in passing how vigilant their military had to stay.

In fact, she could feel a few disciplined signatures nearby and it would not surprise her to find out that they were scoping her out just to be certain. She frowned. Satoshi's signature also lurked nearby.

Arashi turned toward Sukai, "You can go back now. Hunt or rest. I'll summon you when I need you."

He cocked his head to the side and set one of his large eyes on her, " _Kak_? You are sure, little Arashi?"

"Of course."

"You will be safe?"

"Yep."

He tilted his head to the other side and shuffled closer to her, "The one you have to fight? Is he here? For the tournament, _kak_?"

"He's in the village."

" _Kak_ , is he why you guard your throat when you sleep?"

She stiffened, "What?"

Sukai ruffled his feathers, "It is good to be wary, _kak_. Bare your throat to anything and it might bite it out."

"I'll, uh," she shifted, uncomfortably, "I'll be careful. Trust me."

"Very well."

The falcon disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Until then, she had not realized her new habit. She _did_ guard her throat at night. In the late hours, the nerves in her neck tingled and it felt all too much like a weight pressing down on her to choke her.

Arashi stood on the top of the monument with a hand touching her scarf for several minutes before she moved on.

* * *

Arashi made her way toward the hospital. She was sure her father was worried about her since she disappeared without a warning. He had a tendency to fuss and whether she wanted to admit it or not, she missed him, too. She was always partial to her father and age had done little to change that.

She passed through reception with a familiar nod and waited in Ookami's office. He was busy with a patient, but she was sure one of the nurses would let him know she was there. She looked around at the small room and grinned a little to herself.

On his desk was a picture of their family together and beside a stack of paperwork was a mug with "Konoha's #1 Dad" written on it.

When he entered the office, she greeted him with a wide smile, "Daddy!"

The Jounin caught her up in a brief hug and then pulled back to arm's length.

"Where have you been?" He looked her over and frowned, "Been training? You look like you need some rest."

"Oh yeah, I've been really busy," she freed herself from his grasp, "I just wanted to check up with you since I forgot to leave a note."

His frown deepened, "Morino-san was not sure where you went off to, either."

"Uh, I need to check up with him too-"

"And your teammates even came to ask me where you were-"

"I'll let them know, too, I guess."

He crossed his arms, "Be more considerate of your squad and especially me. Remember to write a note to let me know, at the very least, alright? I get that you're a ninja and you have a lot to do, but I'm still your father."

She pursed her lips and looked off to the side, "Yeah, I'm sorry. I've just been a bit stressed out and that makes me scatterbrained."

He smiled and it touched his eyes, "Don't worry. I was your age and a young shinobi once. Just don't push yourself too hard and get some rest."

"I will," she walked toward the door, "But I'm going to get out of here. I have some people to talk to and more training to pack in."

He laughed to himself as she walked away and it sounded like a lion.

It was almost enough to put a bounce back into her step.

* * *

The way that Satoshi lurked was methodical and ever present.

It was almost impressive. At every moment, she had to try to ignore that he was there. Thoughts of going to the Police Force and telling them about the Stone Genin had crossed her mind, but he kept enough of a distance that she doubted anything would be done about him. His attempted murder in the Forest of Death was a risk that came with the Exams and as such, she did not feel like she had the right to run to authorities over it. She preferred that no one knew about it. She never wanted to think about it again.

Arashi stuck to busy streets and stayed in the open. She avoided all alleys and any place that she could be cornered. At all times, she made sure she was within range of another Konoha shinobi. It might have irked her that there was nothing she could do about Satoshi at that time, but she knew she could take measures to keep from becoming a victim again.

Vigilance was fast becoming a lifestyle for her.

When she made it to the Hokage's library, she grabbed the Scroll of Sealing and sat down at a table with it. There were two jutsu in particular that she wanted to study from it - even though she was fairly certain this was one of the items she was not supposed to dig through. It was not strictly _forbidden_ but the First Hokage had sealed the techniques away generations before because of how potentially dangerous they were.

_A few peeks into this thing won't be an issue, right?_ She glanced around, paranoid, _If I lose my privileges here over this, I'll cry._

Satoshi's signature reminded her of why she was there.

_It's worth the risk._

She refocused on the scroll in front of her.

When night came, Arashi peered out of the library with a frown creasing her face. She could go home, sleep in her own bed, get some sleep, but there was a fear that kept her rooted there.

_If I go home, what if Satoshi follows me there and then he knows where I live?_

She leaned against a bookshelf.

_And what if he hurts my mom or Kazika?_

Her lips trembled.

For the first time since her mother and younger brother left on a business trip for Naomi's salon, Arashi was inexplicably glad that they were not home. If they were away, they were safe from her stalker. She knew that the chances he would make a move on them were slim, but even the slightest chance that he would was too much of a risk to her. Kazika was a child and her mother was a civilian - they would have no way to defend themselves against the monster that had taken such an interest in her.

Instead of going home, Arashi returned to the table she used to pour over documents and rested her face in her hands.

Somehow, Satoshi was managing to steal everything from her with just his presence.

* * *

The next day, when she woke, she found a cup of tea sitting on the table near her.

She blinked and picked it up to check how fresh it was. To her surprise, it was still warm, which meant someone had left it for her recently. Her eyebrows rose, but she shrugged and took a sip of it. There were a lot of ANBU that recognized her that might have left it for her. There were certain perks that came with being a student of the head Interrogator.

Her back ached from falling asleep in the chair, but the idea that there were ANBU around to keep Satoshi from getting to her while she slept in the library was enough to give her a grain of peace through the night.

_Silver linings,_ she thought as she took a sip.

After she finished the tea, she left the library and went to a bath house. Once she was done washing herself and throwing herself back together, she wandered out onto the streets. She needed some food and then she could get back to working on the new techniques she looked over the night before.

Arashi's lips thinned into a line.

She could feel Naruto's signature as he followed her through the street. She turned and caught a glimpse of his orange hoodie as he dove behind a trashcan to hide. A smile tugged at her lips.

_That kid is too cute, but he really should be in class right now. Skipping is no good. He can use whatever help he can get with those grades of his._

Arashi shook her head and went over to the boy's hiding place. He stayed completely still - she was sure he was even holding his breath. She squatted down and peered around at him. Two large, blue eyes stared back at her.

"You should be in class," she whispered, "So what are you doing out here? What will Iruka-san say?"

He scrunched his face up and pointed right at her face, "Where have you been, _you know_? You just, like, disappeared or something!"

"I've been really busy, Naruto-kun," she sighed.

His eyes betrayed the doubt he felt, "Yeah right! I'm not dumb, _you know_! You're just avoiding me, aren't you, Sis?"

_Ouch._

She caught him in her arms and gave him a firm hug, "Never, Naruto-kun."

He struggled for a couple seconds and then relaxed into her. It was in his nature to lash out when he was insecure about something.

"I really have been just so busy," she whispered to him, "But in a few weeks I'll have a lot more time on my hands and I'll get to do things with you again."

"Can't you play a little game with me now, Sis? You don't look busy right now, you know!"

She wanted to, but Satoshi's signature was nearby.

_He's almost as defenseless as Kazika._

If Satoshi hurt Naruto, she would never be able to forgive herself.

She pulled back and gave him a firm look, "I have to get back to training really hard."

He pouted and crossed his arms.

"But," she continued, "While I'm training as much as I can, I'd like it if you tried really hard with your classes. We'll both work as hard as we can and then we can see how much better we've gotten in a few weeks?"

He hummed to himself as he considered it.

"Maybe you can really surprise me and pull some of those tricks out on me when we play," she added. "Imagine how cool it will be."

A mischievous grin spanned across his face, "It's a deal, Sis!"

Iruka dropped off a building and landed behind Naruto. The boy's face went pale and he froze. The Chuunin crossed his arms and glared down at his wayward student. A vein bulged on his forehead from running through the village to find the boy.

_Honestly, this poor guy. Naruto probably terrorizes him and his class._

Arashi stood and smiled at the Chuunin, "How are you today, Iruka-san? Busy?"

"Oh, just getting ready to drag a student back to class."

Naruto's eyes widened as he looked between the two.

"Guess you might have to tie him to a chair," she commented. "He's pretty hyper."

"Funny how you mention that," Iruka played along, "I just so happen to have some extra rope with me."

Naruto squeaked. He looked around for an escape route, but he was trapped by the two.

It took most of her self control to keep her face straight as she said, "If he tries to look away or close his eyes, you can just get some toothpicks or something to force his eyelids to stay open."

Naruto gave her a nasty look.

"You know, that's a good idea," Iruka winked.

Arashi took a step back, "Well, I need to go. Full schedule for me."

The Chuunin smiled, warmly, "Don't push yourself too hard. You already look like you need some rest."

She forced herself to smile back, "I'll be fine."

Iruka grabbed the back of Naruto's hoodie and half drug the boy down the street.

_I'll have to thank him some day for putting effort into Naruto. Not many people care enough to try._

* * *

Arashi spent most of the day practicing with the _maybe_ forbidden techniques. She was not sure if she was allowed to look at them or use them, but she was not about to ask just in case she found out they really were forbidden. It was better to play the ignorance card than to be honest in that situation.

When the light began to fade, she was once again faced with the dilemma of where she was going to spend the night. She would not go home and she refused to impose herself on her teammates. If she could manage it, she wanted to convince Daisuke and Akio that the incident did not bother her and that she was coping well with it. It bothered her that they knew about it at all.

She leaned against a building and sighed.

It killed her a little inside that Itachi knew. He was able to be a private person that said only a fraction of what he thought about anything. She wished she could be more like that. Even when she tried to keep a secret it seemed like everyone would either figure it out or she would blurt it out, anyway.

Arashi missed her friend, deeply. She was exhausted and she was lonely.

_Just a little while longer and this will be over. First I need to suck it up and go talk to my Sensei. Avoiding him will only make him more irate than he's probably going to be already._

She pushed away from the wall.

* * *

Arashi knocked on the door and waited.

"Come in," Ibiki called out.

She entered and fidgeted when his expression sharpened. He motioned for her to take a seat in front of his desk and she did so. The room filled with silence and enough tension that it was almost tangible.

"Do you know how reckless and stupid you were?"

She cringed at the gruffness of his voice, but nodded, "Yes, Sensei."

"I almost had Daisuke and Akio check every sewer and alley in Konoha for your body, except for the tip off we got that you _reverse summoned_ yourself to an _unknown_ location outside the village."

She looked down at her lap and chewed on her lips. _I guess Itachi's responsible for that._

"I'm sorry, Sensei. I didn't mean to worry you or the guys. I just wasn't thinking straight." She apologized. "I managed to get a signed contract, though."

"You could have landed yourself in enemy territory."

"I know," she replied, "And I'm sorry."

"With the influx of foreigners, all of ANBU have had more than a full plate to deal with. Next time, before you do anything stupid, let someone know." He leaned back in his chair. "Akio and Daisuke have been training every day and I've been busy. It would have been nice if we didn't have to wonder where you were or if you were dead or alive."

_So, Itachi's going to be busy and Sensei won't be able to really train us?_ She frowned, "Yes, Sensei." She tried to break the tension, "I learned one thing for sure. It turns out that landing a giant falcon in a farming community is a bad idea."

Ibiki snorted.

He looked at her like he was debating whether or not he was going to continue scolding her. The girl in front of him was exhausted. No amount of makeup could hide the haunted cast of her eyes or the bags underneath them. The fragile smile on her face failed to deflect him and when she realized he saw through her, she frowned.

"What are you up to, Arashi?"

She sank into the chair and looked at him for a moment.

"I'm going to kill him, Sensei," she whispered.

They lapsed back into silence. Arashi did not care if he knew about her premeditation. She did not care whether he approved or disapproved.

"In that case, we have a lot of work to do and very little time to do it," Ibiki replied.

"Thank you, Sensei."


	18. Burning Lips

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arashi is still hard at work with training, Kazika and Naomi make it back home, and lines blur.

When Ibiki was not busy with his responsibilities in ANBU, he spent as much time as he could helping his squad. Unlike some Sensei that would choose to spend most of their time with their favorite student, he was determined to divide his time between each of the three equally. On several occasions they all trained together. When their Sensei could not be around to oversee them, they continued working on their own personal projects.

Arashi was grateful that neither Akio nor Daisuke brought up what happened in the Forest of Death.

She noticed that they dodged the topic and were careful to steer clear of anything that could trigger memories of what happened. At first that observation was almost worse than openly acknowledging it, but she pushed through it. It was strange that it took her near death experience to usher their squad into treating each other better - and she was well aware that she was probably the root of the problems they had.

Still, it was strange to see Daisuke bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from saying something mean and stranger still to notice Akio look after her instead of fume loathingly at her.

She was not sure if it should irk her or make her feel cared for.

"- _Kak?_ "

Arashi blinked out of her thoughts and looked over at Sukai, "What?"

The kunoichi and her summon sat on top of the wall that surrounded Konoha after a session of training together. People either stared in shock and awe at the giant bird or stayed far away. It was probably smarter for them to stay at a safe distance. Sukai had a tendency to peck things that were shiny off peoples' bodies.

_For a bird that was never around people much, he sure likes watching them from up here._

It likely made the civilians feel like they were being hunted.

"Is that all we are going to do today, _kak?_ "

"Uh, yeah," she pet the downy feathers beneath his wing, "My mom and brother are supposed to be back any time now. I wanted to see them for a while before I went back to the grind."

He ruffled his feathers and looked down at her, "Will you need me tomorrow?"

"Probably. We've got some more stuff to work on."

" _Kak?_ More manner lessons or training?"

"Probably _both_ ," she cleared her throat, "But yeah, you can go back now."

He nodded his head and vanished in a cloud of smoke.

Arashi took a deep breath and looked up at the clouds. It was a beautiful day, as most were in the Land of Fire. The prospect of Naomi and Kazika coming back inspired both relief and anxiety. She had been successful in evading most of her father's questions because of his busy schedule and his understanding of a shinobi's lifestyle. He was able to give her space and not think much of it. Arashi had a feeling he did not even realize she had not spent a single night in their home since she got back with Sukai.

Naomi, on the other hand, was nosy and perceptive to a degree that was creepy. She would want to know why Arashi started to care more for her appearance all of a sudden, and why she had taken up an obsession with scarves. That would be her initial inquiries. If Arashi avoided their home altogether - as the kunoichi had done for weeks now - the woman would notice immediately and want to know why.

She wanted to go home. She wanted to sleep in her own bed and not worry about anything, but even now she could feel Satoshi's signature nearby. Her life now revolved around cutting herself away from the ones she loved in order to keep her stalker from knowing they mattered to her. If she went to any authorities, she did not know if they would be able to do anything about it because Satoshi was cautious. In the end, she was simply ashamed that it had come to this and she would do almost anything to keep her parents from finding out about it.

Arashi rubbed her temples.

In her Academy days, she got along with other girls well enough. She never considered them to be her friends, per se, but she had no problems with them. Arashi never got involved in any petty fights over a boy and she was never jealous over another kunoichi's skills or appearance. Once she graduated, she kept up with none of them.

Which meant she could not use them as an alibi when her mother questioned where she was staying.

Her teammates were boys. Her sensei was a man. Her dearest friend was a boy.

She would sooner eat a bowl of shuriken for breakfast than say she had been sleeping at a boy's home. On the other hand, she doubted her mother would approve of her daughter camping in a library or in her Sensei's office instead of sleeping in her own bed. Arashi was not sure what to say to her mother.

She did not have a single decent alibi.

_Well, maybe I can tell her I've been staying outside over night to help hone some sort of, um, ninja skill or something._

With the amount of complaining Arashi did after every mission that required her to sleep on the ground, she knew her mother would have a hard time buying into that.

_I'll, uh, come up with an answer when I need to, I guess._ She sighed. _Why couldn't Itachi have a sister about my age? Then I could say I've been hanging out with her at night and we've been training together or something stupid like that._

Arashi's shoulders sagged.

She had not seen Itachi in weeks. His signature had been within her range many times, but he was busy with the rest of ANBU. Apparently, whenever the Chuunin Selection Exam was held in Konoha, it was like throwing a rock at a hornet's nest.

Teleporting herself away instead of confiding in her friend still bothered her. The day before, she had cornered Sasuke once his classes ended and sent a note with him to give to Itachi. It contained an apology for her actions and a request.

Arashi still did not know a single offensive jutsu.

She had a few tricks up her sleeve and she had Sukai, but each of those were pieces in a plan she was piecing together like a puzzle. It needed a spark to ignite it into a full motion strategy. She was not sure whether it was from her desire to see her friend again or if it was because of the respect she had for his abilities, but she wanted to learn a jutsu from Itachi to use in her upcoming fight.

She also wanted to burn Satoshi alive for the torment he put her through.

_That's beside the point, though._

If Itachi did not respond to her request in the next day or two, she would have to figure out an offensive jutsu that would suit her plan and then learn it on her own. She was fully prepared to do that, but the sentimentality of using a jutsu her friend taught her was enticing. She would still be handling the fight with her own abilities, but it meant something to her.

She took a deep breath and then exhaled.

It would all be over soon. One way or another, it was coming to a head.

* * *

As soon as Naomi and Kazika passed through the gates, they were greeted by the kunoichi. Several men nodded when Naomi gave them directions and they parted ways to deliver the new products to her salon.

Kazika ran to his sister and hugged her legs, "Sis!"

Arashi picked the boy up and slung him from side to side. He shrieked in laughter. Naomi gave her daughter a disapproving look - she liked it when her children behaved in public - and Arashi set the boy down on his feet. Kazika had not changed at all in the month he was away. He was still a ball of energy, black spikes of hair, and brown eyes wide with life.

"I'm gonna be a ninja, Sis!"

Arashi's face scrunched up, "What?"

"Yeah! Look!"

The boy pulled out a tanto and held it up for her to see. The sheath was black and the tsuka was wrapped in gray and dark blue cloth.

"Who gave that to you?" she squinted down at him.

"My new hero!" He replied with a toothy grin. "His name's Sen. He tore through the bandits attacking us like they were nothing!"

Arashi looked over at her mother with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, we were only attacked by one group of bandits," Naomi waved the notion away. "They didn't even get to the caravan. That Mist ninja-"

"Sen!"

"Yes, that Sen ninja did a good job taking care of the bandits that attacked us. I don't even know how Kazika managed to see any of the fighting it was over so fast."

"So, were they trying to steal the hair products or the lotions?" Arashi deadpanned. "What were they doing attacking your caravan? Actually, never mind that - what was a Mist ninja doing in your group?"

"Well, on our return trip we ended up crossing paths with a nobleman from the Land of Water - oh, he was just a charming little thing and he was so happy that I trimmed his hair - the Jounin was his bodyguard. And then, we decided to travel together and everything went so smoothly after that," Naomi rambled. "You would not _believe_ the scandals he was telling me about. They get up to some crazy stuff over there, according to my new friend."

"Right," Arashi resisted the urge to rub her temples. "So, Kazika wants to be a ninja now?"

Naomi looked over at the boy - who was holding his tanto up into the air like a relic - and sighed. Arashi's stomach felt like a pit. From the boy's previous statements of not wanting to be a shinobi, she never thought she had to worry about him choosing it as a career. She was sure he would choose something suitable for a civilian, find a normal girl to marry, and have a peaceful family.

She chewed on her lip, "That's just, uh, _wonderful_. Are you sure you want to be a ninja? Weren't you just saying it would be stupid before you left?"

The boy shook his head back and forth like the action would erase her words, "I'm gonna be like Sen!"

Arashi stared down her nose at him, _He wants to be like a foreign ninja and not like Dad? This kid is crazy_.

"Anyway," Naomi chuckled, "How has your father been? I'm sure he didn't know what to do with himself without me around."

"Erm, yeah. Totally lost."

In all honesty, Arashi had not noticed any difference. He drank his tea every day in his office from his tacky #1 Dad mug, he worked extra shifts but that was nothing unusual, and neither of them were home at the same time.

_To be fair, I haven't been home at all. Maybe he hasn't, either._

"Mm, well," Naomi purred, "Momma's home now."

"That puts gross images in my head, Mom."

Naomi cackled.

"Mom!"

"Hmph, well," Naomi pursed her lips and looked her daughter over, "You seem to have taken an interest in presenting your outer image a little better."

_Annnd it begins._

"Well, you're always so pretty I thought I'd give it a try," Arashi lied.

"Mhm." She put a hand on her hip, "So, that's it, huh? What about that scarf?"

Arashi looked down at it and shrugged.

"I thought it was pretty. Streamlines my body a little, don't you think?"

"I bet it hides hickeys just fine, too."

"Mom!" Arashi grimaced, "First Dad says that and now you. I don't even have time for a boyfriend."

Naomi sighed, "Oh yes. Someday you'll end up with a house full of cats and that will be all your own fault, sweetie."

Arashi glared at her, "Thanks, Mom. Thanks."

"Oh!" Naomi's eyes lit up, "How did your Exams go?"

"Very well," Arashi lied through her teeth, "I'll be going on to the final round. A little over a week to go before the tournament starts."

"Well, good job. I'm sure you've worked really hard for this."

"Oh, I have," Arashi agreed, "But now I really do need to go so I can get back to training. Don't wait up for me!"

"Bye, Sis!" Kazika waved to her, wildly.

Naomi watched her daughter sprint away with a raised eyebrow, "Such a strange child." She glanced at her son and clicked her tongue, "That goes for you, too."

* * *

The kunoichi walked through the streets of her village with a frown.

She wanted to be home with her family. There were so many questions running through her mind about their travels that she could not see straight. She wanted to snatch the weapon out of Kazika's hands and make him understand how dangerous the life of a shinobi was. Although she had no intention of stepping down from the path she was on, she wanted to spare her brother any unnecessary pain in his life.

His sudden infatuation with being a ninja worried her. A part of her was mad at this Sen person for representing something to Kazika that none of the other people the boy met before did.

Most of all, she was angry at the sick signature that continued to follow her at a distance.

Sometimes he would get bold and come closer than other times. There had been more than one occasion that he would slip by on the other side of a street or sit at a restaurant opposite the one she chose to visit. He saw to it that she never had a moment to relax or feel safe. He was ever present, always lurking, and never off her trail.

_Does his Sensei know like his teammates? Do they care?_

Arashi chewed on her lip.

_Wouldn't he be better served by training instead of stalking me?_

Every step felt heavy, like there were weights tied to her limbs.

_Then again, I guess he feels like he has me in the palm of his hand. To him, I'm just a toy. A doll he can break and cast to the side without any remorse or any second thoughts. He's been trained for combat probably from the start of his career, while I've been trained to stay out of it._

She altered her course and made her way to one of the training grounds.

_Instead of being home with the people I love or playing with Naruto, I'm out here pretending I have no one, so he can't do anything crazy to any of them. It's like he's taken everything from me without lifting a finger against them. And instead of talking to anyone about it, I'm too damn ashamed to admit someone has this much control over me. What even is that? This isn't who I am._

Arashi leaned against a tree when she made it to her destination and rubbed her temples.

_It's funny how I thought I hated Akio and Daisuke until I met Satoshi. I was a really dumb kid, I guess._

She sighed.

There were more than a few things she could work on while she was out there. She was still practicing with the techniques she memorized out of the Scroll of Sealing and Sukai was always up for 'teaching her how to hunt' as he liked to call it. How the falcon managed to ping pong between being ridiculously rude and then somehow endearing was beyond her.

Arashi closed her eyes and focused on the signatures around her.

They were all sparks of life. Some were brighter than others, some were larger, some were fainter, and each felt unique if she focused on them enough. One in particular that was moving toward her was one she had pegged as special as a child.

_Itachi?_

Satoshi's signature was drawing closer, as well.

_What is he up to?_

She felt stupid for not going to a training ground that was closer to active areas.

_I guess it's like practically inviting that creep to come harass me._

She opened her eyes and waited.

When Itachi arrived he looked at her, inquisitively. In his hand was the note she sent through Sasuke before. He wore his ANBU gear except for the mask, so she assumed he was either in between shifts or about to report for duty.

A spike of emotion ran through her and she realized how immensely she had missed him. She fidgeted slightly and motioned toward the note he was holding.

"I wanted to apologize, but we've both been so busy, I felt like a note was the only sure way to get in touch with you without interrupting something important you might have going on," Arashi began.

He nodded his head and the corner of his mouth curved upward. The look he had given her the last time she saw him was still burned into her mind. She regretted leaving him grasping at smoke, if only because she knew how much it would have hurt if he did something like that to her. It was a relief to see him in a better mood and with a softer expression on his face.

Arashi opened her mouth to continue, but Satoshi's signature continued to come closer. She bit the inside of her cheek in frustration when the Stone ninja dropped from a tree near them.

_You have got to be kidding me. He's getting bolder. Great._

"Hey, doll!" The Stone Genin greeted with a friendly wave and a cheeky smile.

Itachi's stare turned to steel that was sharper than any blade.

The person that stood in front of her was no longer the gentle boy she would meet in the library or play with in a playground. There was no subtle smile, nor softness in his eyes, nor was there any amusement to be found in his countenance. The boy that stood in front of her was a deadly member of ANBU that had more than a little blood on his hands.

Satoshi look between the Uchiha and Arashi, "Oh, is the little doll busy?"

"You should return to your sensei and find something better to do with your time."

_He knows?_ She looked at him in surprise, _Of course. The ANBU have been keeping tabs on all the foreign shinobi in Konoha. It was only a matter of time before they noticed one actively stalking._

Satoshi's eyebrows shot up. His appearance irked her. From the blue of his eyes, to his slight stature, to the youthful exuberance of his voice and face - he appeared to be a sweet boy. If she could not feel how _off_ his signature was and if she did not have proof of his cruelty, then she would scarcely believe he was capable of any malicious acts.

"I just wanted to see my little friend-" Satoshi's words trailed off.

A pair of Sharingan now stared him down.

"If you think I am stupid, then you are mistaken," Itachi's voice retained his calm, even tones - but his eyes conveyed a different message.

"Whoa!" Satoshi held his hands up in front of him, "No reason to glare like that. I'm not here to try anything-"

"You also seem to think I am a patient person. Continue with such misconceptions and it will be a waste of your life."

It was not a threat. Arashi knew, without a doubt, that if Satoshi did not back down then he was going to die. Her throat tightened from the tension. ANBU answered to no one but the Hokage. If Itachi killed him, she wondered how easy it would be to either cover it up or to pardon their way out of it. She had the distinct feeling that if the Uchiha wanted to, no one would find any trace of Satoshi's body.

_No._ _This freak is my problem and I'm going to handle him._

She touched Itachi's shoulder and hoped that it would convey her thoughts to him, somehow. Whether it would be easy for him to kill her tormentor or not, this was something she felt she needed to do.

"Right, well, I'll see you later, doll!" Satoshi grinned. "A little over a week and I get to show you some new tricks you haven't seen yet!"

She chose to not respond.

They watched the boy retreat until he was well out of sight. Only when he was farther away than he had been in weeks, did she release the breath she had been holding.

"I will help you learn a fire jutsu like you wanted," he turned his attention to her, "But not this evening. I have some duties to take care of."

She swallowed over the lump in her throat. His eyes were beautiful and he was striking. How had she never noticed before? Words would not come to her, so she settled on a nod.

He delicately touched the fabric of the scarf around her neck with his fingers, "You should go home. Rest tonight. You won't have anything to worry about."

The lines of her reality were blurring together and she doubted anything would ever be the same again. She was overcome with mixed emotions.

All at once there was nothing else in the world. The angles of his face and the intensity of his eyes were nothing short of art incarnate. Her gaze fell on his mouth and her lips burned. She wanted to taste him - to entangle herself with him so irreversibly that no one could tell where she ended and he began. Her soul ached for it in such a way it terrified her. He was art and skill and everything she wished she could be.

_I am in love with him._


	19. The Storm Unleashed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bunches of fights and stuff... it all comes to a head in this chapter.

Arashi did not have an appetite, but she forced herself to eat something small. She could not afford to be weak. She had to be ready.

It was the day of the final round of the Chuunin Selection Exam.

She looked over all of her supplies for the third time that morning. Everything she thought she could possibly use was packed and ready. Her pouches and bags were well stocked, she had medical pills unsealed and easily accessible, and she had several kunai prepared with paper bombs tied to them. A belt hung around her hips. It was designed to hold scrolls in holsters that were right in reach.

Her skin tingled slightly.

Arashi ran her fingers over the skin of her arms to ease the sensation. The Fuin Shugotenshi was set into her body and ready for use - but there was more than that hidden away. Once she was comfortable with layering fuinjutsu inside muscle, sinew, and bone it occurred to her that she could conceal even more. Scrolls were often used for convenience, but if she wanted she could seal the same things within almost anything else - or transfer something from a scroll to her body and then to something else to store the fuinjutsu.

That concept was the foundation of a critical step in her plan to kill Satoshi.

Only nine people made it through to this round, so it did not surprise her that her team was in each of the first three fights. Akio was to fight Ito Isao, the Kiri shinobi. The second fight was between Daisuke and the Iwa shinobi Kato Ryota. The third fight was between herself and Satoshi. The fourth was between Soma and Fukui Kenji.

Arashi's life had been consumed with the struggle to become stronger in order to survive her upcoming fight. Now that it was only hours away, she was not sure what to think or to feel. Each step of her plan played out in her mind again and again.

_Never thought I'd have such a struggle for my own identity._

She tightened the straps of her medical pouch and took a deep breath. A week back in her own home without Satoshi lurking - at least not as close - as he had before Itachi's intervention was a greater relief than she knew how to describe.

_Itachi..._ She fidgeted and paced between her closet and the desk in her room. _Falling in love with my childhood friend? Yeah, that's dumb. He's so out of my league, it's painful._

Training with him after her new revelation had been awkward, to say the least. Through the years she had no problem sharing thoughts, secrets, and feelings with the quiet boy and throwing herself into his arms for a hug. It was a habit that was carried over from her too-clingy childhood, but now she found she was uncertain in his presence. Instead of being light hearted and open, she was too busy analyzing whether or not he could tell she was attracted to him.

If he could tell, then he had the couth to not point it out. It was both comforting and torturous that they had a goal to focus on together - when he was not buy with other things. It kept any silly romantic notions from distracting her from the real issue, but it also exhausted her.

_I'll deal with that stuff after today. He'll have more time and I'll have more time. Then I can figure everything out._

Once she was sure she had everything together, she left her room. She took her time as she walked through the hallway and looked at the family photos that lined the walls. Naomi had a tendency to document everything she considered a landmark or a special occasion. While Arashi found all the times her mother forced her to pose for pictures to be annoying at the time, she now looked at everything with a fondness that was profound. This home was full of good memories.

Arashi found her family in the kitchen, finishing breakfast.

Ookami chose to take the day off from work - something that was rare - so for the first time in months she saw him in casual clothing instead of his medical squad uniform. He smiled at her from the brim of his tacky mug. A medical report sat by his plate.

_Okay, so he_ almost _took the day completely off work._

Kazika swung his feet back and forth as he picked at his food. His face was scrunched up in disgust. In his lap was the tanto that the Mist Jounin, Sen, had given him. Arashi still wanted to take it from him, but he was inseparable from the weapon.

_Either Mom and Dad should take it from him before he gets hurt or we need to enroll him in the Academy as soon as possible so they can teach him how to not.. maim himself with it or something._

Arashi might have been a little jealous of the fact that the tanto was the sharpest weapon in the house and her parents thought the almost-six-year-old was responsible enough to carry it around. When she was his age they blunted anything that was remotely _pointy_ before they let her anywhere near it.

Naomi collected some dishes off the table and placed them in the sink to soak, "Did you eat enough, Arashi?"

"Yeah, I've eaten," she replied.

"Are you sure you had enough? You need to keep your strength up."

"Yes, Mom, I know, but I don't need to be running around bloated and slowed down by a large breakfast," Arashi huffed - she would rather not explain she was too nervous to eat much.

"Mm, alright, sweetie."

Her mother looked like she was ready to entertain nobility. Arashi wanted to shudder at the amount of time Naomi must put into grooming herself every day.

_She always cared maybe_ too _much about her appearance, but I guess it's part of her business? Wear the makeup to show how nice it looks, wear the perfume to advertise how nice it smells, and keep your hair perfect to show you're competent enough to handle someone else's hair?_

Being a ninja seemed simpler when she thought about her mother's life.

"You know," Arashi cleared her throat, "there's really no point in coming to watch me get beaten up today."

Ookami did not look up from the medical report he was reading. Kazika completely ignored her, as well. The weapon in the boy's lap occupied too much of his attention.

_Maybe they are more alike than I thought..._

"Oh, shush." Naomi waved the notion away. "I wouldn't miss your fight for the world."

Arashi would have given the world for her mother and little brother to stay at home.

"It's going to be violent, Mom, and I don't know how well I'll do. Are you really sure you're okay watching it?"

Naomi raised one eyebrow and pursed her lips, "You do realize I've attended every final round of every Chuunin Selection Exam held in Konoha since I first met your father, right?" The middle aged woman fanned herself. "Seeing those boys fighting each other used to make me hot back when I was still young."

"Ew." Arashi cringed. "I don't appreciate those images, Mom."

Naomi cackled and went back to washing dishes.

The kunoichi sighed in exasperation, "Well, I guess I should go meet with my team."

"Be safe," Ookami glanced away from what he was reading, "We'll be there soon."

She forced a smile at him and left their home. Once she was outside, her shoulders sagged. She felt like she had the weight of the world on her.

_I don't want my mom or my brother to see what I'm going to do. Dad's a shinobi, so I'm sure it won't be more than he can handle, but still,_ she watched her feet as she walked. _Either I kill someone or he'll probably kill me. I don't want them to see either of those outcomes._

Arashi steadied herself with a deep breath.

_I need to worry about me and not them right now. If my initial plan falls through, I need to be mentally prepared to change things up._

She exhaled.

_His armor is bulky. It can take an explosion, so my explosive tags will pretty much just stun him or slow him down. My chakra scalpel can get through, but I need to stay away from him if I don't want to end up dead._

If she was not so deep in thought, she might have noticed that the day was beautiful. The birds sang loudly as they flitted about and the temperature was pleasant. It was going to be a warm day.

_The armor also makes him slow. He's kinda quick without it, but I'm pretty sure I should be able to avoid him either way. I'll just have to be careful._

A day did not go by that she did not think about how she could beat Satoshi.

_Sukai could probably peck right through his armor, but his spear makes me nervous. I'd rather keep Sukai at a distance so he won't be in danger of being wounded. Long ranged attacks seem to be the safest route, but his affinity is Earth. Seems like anyone with an Earth affinity would know to dig underground for cover and then that would lead to a stalemate until someone gives in and leaves their safety zone._

None of the thoughts were new to her. They were like a mantra in her head now.

_I need to transfer all six of my little surprises into the arena while avoiding Satoshi's attacks. If I can do that, I should make it through this._

She looked up and smiled to herself.

_Thank you, Kushina-san. For the inspiration and those early lessons. I cared more about if my bow was on straight than I did about knowing how to hold a kunai right back then, but look at me now._

Her team decided to meet at a tea shop not far from the arena that morning for a final talk before the tournament began.

when she arrived, Daisuke and Akio were seated with a cup of tea. The two boys were geared to the teeth. Akio stared into his cup with a frown on his face while their Sensei stood off to the side with his arms crossed. Daisuke noticed her from the corner of his eye and waved at her. His eyes and face were lined with paint - which was not strange since his Kamofuraaji no jutsu required paint to be on the body in order for it to work - but the pattern and the consistency of the chakra she could sense was different. Looking at him made her dizzy.

_Okay, that's kinda odd._

"Here," Ibiki offered a cup to her. "Sit down."

She accepted the drink and took a seat between her teammates. Akio grunted a greeting and she nodded at him in acknowledgment. Team Morino was almost always together, but as they drank their tea that morning, there was a sense of companionable silence that was never there before. No one was glaring at each other, no snarky insults were being whispered, and Ibiki did not have to feign that he did not find their misery together to be hilarious. They felt like a team.

"Do your best today," Ibiki looked at them in turn, "and know that whatever the outcome, I'm proud of each of you. You're better students than I expected." He closed his eyes and chuckled, "You've went from being hopeless brats to being shinobi."

Akio grinned, "Hn."

Arashi played with the end of her scarf and pretended she was not blushing at the compliment, "Thank you, Sensei."

"Well," Daisuke sniffed, "We couldn't stay kids forever, could we?"

"Not if you wanted to survive in this world," Ibiki replied with a shrug, "Remember, show the audience your best. What happens today can and will shape the rest of your career. Make a bad impression and you will struggle to correct it, but make a good impression and your future employers will never forget it."

"Yes, Sensei," they chorused together.

"There's no point in being late," Ibiki glanced at the time, "So finish your tea and get in there."

* * *

All nine of the competing Genin stood in a row in the center of the arena. The proctor, Hayate Gekko, stood in front of them. They were surrounded by thick, high walls in order to keep any civilians safe from accidental cross-fire. On one side, behind the wall stood three structures that held the seating for the audience. On the ground where the Genin were lined up, there was nothing of much note. On the outer rim of the enclosure were trees, but not enough to conceal oneself in.

Arashi was sandwiched between her teammates, trying her best to ignore the predatory gleam in Satoshi's eyes as he watched her. She was proud of her teammates for following her lead in pretending the boy was not even there. If she knew anything, it was that he fed off knowing his target was focused on him at all times.

She had been to many of these tournaments as a spectator. More often than not the fights were brutal, even though the ninjas fighting were Genin. They were fighting for their future and for the wellbeing of their Lands.

_Now I understand how much weight is on these fights. It's completely different as a participant._

The roar of the crowd's cheer was deafening.

_This is unreal._

Arashi could not remember a time when she stood in front of so many people.

_And they're all looking at us. It's like it's exerting even more pressure than what's already on us. I can hardly breathe._

Once the cheer died down, the Hokage stood from his seat above them and walked to the railing so that people could see him better.

"Everyone, thank you very much for coming to the Village Hidden in the Leaves Chuunin Selection Exam," The Third called out, "We will now begin the 'final round' matches for the nine who made it through. Please watch until the end!"

Another round of cheering from the audience rang out.

Hayate turned toward the participants, "Alright, the rules of this-"

He broke off to let out a nasty cough.

_He should probably get that checked. He's not looking too healthy._

"-of this round. The matches will continue until one or the other dies, or acknowledges defeat."

Satoshi's grin deepened.

"However," Hayate continued, "If I determine that it is settled, then I will stop the match there before anymore unnecessary bloodshed occurs," he coughed into his hand, "No arguments will be allowed. Does everyone understand?"

No one objected.

"Okay, the first match is between Aburame Akio and Ito Isao." He coughed again, "You two remain. The rest of you guys go to the waiting room."

Arashi and Daisuke walked together. He made sure to keep himself planted between her and Satoshi. It was a detail she did not miss. They climbed the stairs until they found the room and the two teammates went to the side of the room and leaned against the railing to watch. Satoshi's team settled on the other side of the room, while the two Kiri Genin leaned against the railing in the middle.

"How do you think he'll do?" She whispered.

Daisuke looked at her like she was crazy, "He's the only one on our team I'm not worried about. He's from one of Konoha's noble clans, remember?"

"Yeah. I guess sometimes I forget what being an Aburame means."

They lapsed into silence to watch the fight.

* * *

Akio adjusted his stance and watched Isao. The Mist ninja ran his fingers across the tsuka of his katana. They sized each other up for a few seconds.

"So, you're an Aburame?" Isao snorted. "I've heard some pretty interesting stories about your clan. Sensei always said you guys were a bunch of flea ridden freaks, though."

Akio frowned, but did not respond.

"Guess I'll just have to see which one it is for myself," Isao shrugged, "Try not to disappoint me too much."

Hayate glanced between the two, "Begin!"

Isao drew his katana and lunged. The proctor jumped back to give the two Genin space to fight.

"I just won't let you use those bugs on me!"

The swordsman lashed at Akio, but the Aburame avoided the attack. Isao sneered and continued his offensive.

Each slash sang through the air - once - twice - a third time in repetition, but his blade came into contact with only his enemy's coat.

"Are you just going to run away?!"

Akio smirked and stepped into the katana - blocking the stroke with his forearm.

"What?"

Isao tugged, but his sword was stuck.

Akio brought his knee up and nailed the swordsman in the groin. The air shot out of him in a sharp grunt and before he could recover he was knocked back by a sharp kick to the stomach.

Isao broke his fall and rolled to his feet, "Heh, I didn't expect you to have that much brute force in you."

Without acknowledging what his opponent said, Akio dislodged the weapon from the insects on his arm and tossed it far away from them.

"And that's just rude."

Isao's eyes narrowed. There were kikaichu all around him on the ground and some droned in the air.

"So, I'm assuming you let all these guys out while evading me?" He snorted, "Don't think I haven't been thinking of a counter for this." He formed the tiger hand-seal, "Mizu Bunshin no jutsu!"

The moisture in the area around them condensed into bodies and formed four water clones. The kikaichu swarmed Isao, but he calmly grabbed one of his clones and undid the jutsu.

The water washed all of the bugs off him. A large amount of the liquid clung to his skin - held in place by chakra.

"Those kikaichu of yours are no good if they can't hold onto me, now are they?"

A swarm latched onto one of the clones and began to feed off its chakra.

"I can just make more if I have to!" Isao made several more hand-signs, "Suiton: Suidan no jutsu!"

The Mist ninja inhaled deeply and blew out a stream of water.

Akio rolled in order to evade, but the jutsu caught his side and threw him back into the wall of the arena. He landed hard on the ground and braced his ribs to catch his breath.

Isao glanced over toward his sword and moved to get it, but pain spiked through his abdomen. He glared over at the Aburame and dispersed his body into a pool of water to shake off any insects that managed to cling to his clothing in spite of the layer of liquid on his skin.

Two of the remaining water clones charged Akio.

He took one out with a flurry of shuriken and ended the second one with a kunai. With a quick glance he checked to see where the third clone was - it was incapacitated by his kikaichu. Akio pulled himself to his feet with a grunt.

His ribs were bruised, his coat was ruined, and his sunglasses were shattered into pieces beside the wall. Other than that, he was fine.

Isao leapt out of the water and snatched his sword up from the ground, "Now, let's get back to the fun!"

A smile spanned across the swordsman's face. He was most comfortable with a katana in his hands.

Akio slid into a defensive stance and his features hardened.

"I think it's time to finish this!" Isao announced.

He ran a few steps and then slid to a stop.

Akio smirked.

Every cell in Isao's body felt like it was on fire. The pain was excruciating.

"Many people assume that because I am an Aburame, I am not well suited for taijutsu. They are wrong, but it makes certain things convenient."

Isao gasped for air, "What did you do to me?"

"My grandmother specializes in an insect that is rare even in our own clan. They're known as the Rinkaichu."

The Mist ninja was no longer sure if the liquid on his skin was the water from before or the cold sweat seeping out of his pores.

"What the hell are they doing to me?!"

"The pain? Those are your cells dying."

"When?" Isao struggled to stay on his feet, "When did you? When did they get me?"

Akio relaxed his stance, "They've been in you since the start of our fight, waiting for my signal."

Isao's eyes widened, "When you hit me and took my sword. You planted these things in me right then, didn't you?"

"Yes. Normally the venom would take longer to spread, but because you hid yourself in that puddle when the pain became noticeable," Akio snorted in amusement, "all you did was perforate all of your cells. You're done."

He grit his teeth, "Screw you!"

Isao closed the rest of the distance between himself and his opponent. If he could finish it soon enough, then the match would still be his despite the venom in his body.

He swung at the Aburame. The stroke was clumsy - the pain dulled his reflexes.

Akio ducked away from the attack and then disarmed Isao with one move.

The Mist ninja cursed loudly. Before he could regain his balance from the momentum, the leaf Genin slammed his face against the wall and pinned him there.

"Hand-seals? Unnecessary for the Aburame. Chakra conversion? Unnecessary. Weapons? Unnecessary."

Isao's eyes widened as Kikaichu gathered around his face. He tried to break the hold on him, but Akio's grasp was firm.

"Have you heard of the Kidaichu?" Akio inquired, "I assure you, it's much more troublesome than a flea."

"Just finish this," Isao hissed.

"Finish? I don't plan on killing you. Maybe taking one of your arms." He lowered his voice, "Like your sword arm? The Kidaichu would devour it until there was nothing left."

"You're sick-"

Hayate broke them apart, "That's enough. Aburame Akio is the winner!"

* * *

"Well, that was fast," Arashi muttered. "Maybe our matches will be that easy?"

Daisuke sniffed, "Probably not. Guess it's time for me to go down there."

"I guess so," she whispered, "Good luck."

"Thanks."

He jumped over the railing and landed on the ground below. Ryota followed behind him.

_Good luck, Daisuke. Wreck that Iwa nin._

Satoshi crossed the room and slid an arm around Arashi's shoulders. The gesture was intimate - as familiar as one she would have used around Itachi. He looked down at her with bright eyes.

Everything in her wanted to stab him, but she refused to let his behavior outwardly ruffle her appearance. That was what he wanted. To shake her up.

"You know, I thought I cut you deep enough," Satoshi whispered and his breath tickled her skin, "And I was for sure that I heard you shatter into little pieces when you hit the ground."

Bile rose in the back of her mouth, but she forced it back down, "Must've surprised you to see me still alive."

"Oh, it did! Hah! You should've heard my teammates, doll. They were all like, 'Her sensei is in ANBU,' that, and 'they'll never find our bodies,' this," he impersonated them, animatedly, "But I told them you wouldn't tell anyone. I knew you were a good girl like that - well, until you told that Uchiha."

She raised an eyebrow at him, "Oh, I didn't have to tell him. You were just too sloppy and he noticed on his own."

Satoshi's expression changed from bright to cold.

"Hey, Satoshi, leave it alone. You'll get to settle things soon," Soma interjected.

The blue eyed Iwa ninja pulled her against his side, defensively, "This might be the last time we ever get to talk!"

Arashi forced a smile on her face and Satoshi grinned down at her.

To the untrained eye, the gestures appeared friendly. A civilian might have mistaken them for friends, but the Genin in the waiting room saw it for what it was.

Arashi and Satoshi were baring their fangs at each other.

"Well," Arashi slid out of his arm, "I'm going to check on Akio."

"Alright, doll."

He waved at her while she walked away.

Akio met her on the staircase. His coat was a ruined, shredded ball of material. He held the remains of it in one hand. Even at the age of thirteen, he was already very muscular. If he did not cover his body up in layers, then anyone could have guessed his proficiency with taijutsu and his strength would not be a surprise for his opponents.

He grimaced as he climbed the stairs.

"You alright?" She stepped in front of him. "Let me take a look you."

He nodded his consent.

The medic kunoichi looked him over. Without his sunglasses hiding them, she could see his eyes and they were surprisingly pleasant. Their shape was sharp and angular and the color was like caramel. She had only seen him without them once or twice and it was never on casual terms.

_I guess I should be checking his injuries and not gaping at him like an idiot._

Akio shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny. One of his hands came up to adjust his sunglasses, but he caught himself and stopped.

"You look nice without them," she assured him.

He snorted and looked away from her.

Arashi lifted his shirt to get a look at his ribs and hissed through her teeth. His side was covered in a large bruise.

"Can you even breathe?" Her eyebrows knit together. "It looks like you got hit by a battering ram."

He shrugged, "I'm managing."

Carefully, she ran her fingers over the bones to make sure none of them were broken. He squirmed a little.

_Oh wow, he's ticklish._

She channeled her chakra into the area and looked toward Daisuke. They had a clear view of the arena from where they were.

"You did a good job. I hope Daisuke pulls through, too."

"Hn."

"I think I'll watch his match from here. I really don't want to be in the waiting room," she admitted.

He nodded, "We won't miss anything here."

Arashi lowered his shirt when she was done. She regretted all the years she spent ostracizing him when she could have gotten to know him.

_It would have saved us both such a headache._

* * *

Daisuke hated direct combat. He was ill suited for it and everyone that knew him realized that.

"Well, let's see how this goes without your friends to help you," Ryota smirked.

The Iwa ninja in front of him realized it, as well.

Daisuke sniffed in distaste, "I left one of your teammates screaming on his face, or did you forget?"

"Soma's of no account."

"Right."

Hayate coughed into his hand and cleared his throat. He glanced between the two one last time to give them another chance to say what they wanted before the match.

"Begin!"

Daisuke formed a hand-seal and disappeared.

"Hiding?" Ryota spat on the ground. "Fine by me."

The Iwa ninja formed several hand-seals and the earth around him was pulled onto his skin. His eyebrows furrowed in concentration as chakra imbued the dirt and strengthened it. The jutsu took precision and time to perform.

Ryota watched for an attack, but Daisuke remained hidden. He snorted to himself in amusement and closed his eyes.

"Well, I guess I should thank you for letting me set up, but now I don't think you'll stand any chance," he called out. "You're a visual genjutsu type. If I don't look at your jutsu, then it won't work."

Daisuke remained silent.

Ryota sniffed the air and caught the scent of paint, "Found you!"

He swung his fist toward the smell and made contact with a body. A sense of victory rushed through him, but it was short lived. Something felt wrong.

He opened his eyes to see Daisuke laying at his feet.

The world began to spin around him. He took a step back. The angles and shapes of everything seemed _wrong_. Ryota raised both hands to his head and tried to steady himself.

"Oi, what's going on?"

He stumbled forward and nudged the body on the ground. His brow furrowed once more as Daisuke started to melt.

It was made of paint.

"A clone?"

Ryota looked at his arm. It was splattered with paint from when he punched the clone. He shook his arm to rid himself of the substance, but a pulse of chakra almost knocked him off his feet.

The dizzy spell intensified.

The Iwa ninja bit his lip until it bled, but it did nothing to dispel the effects of the jutsu. He closed his eyes and tried to focus. If he could locate Daisuke and take him out before the illusion was in full effect, then he would pull through and the genjutsu would be null.

A child's giggle caught him off guard.

Ryota's eyes shot open and he sucked in a sharp breath.

He was in a tiny room. There were no doors in order to leave and the walls had so many layers of paint from the images on them that they were closing in.

"Do you like to paint?"

Ryota looked down at a small boy. He had bright, amber eyes and shaggy black hair. His face was splattered with different colors and his clothes were ruined, but he did not seem to notice.

"Well, do you?"

Ryota sneered at the paint brush that was offered to him.

"I'm done with your genjutsu!"

The Iwa ninja punched through the child.

His body turned to paint and sprayed across the walls."

"Don't you want to play with me?" The child's whispered voice came from behind.

Ryota spun around and froze. The walls were closer and the space for him to move was smaller. The paint pooled together and reformed into the child's body.

"Clouds make me happy," the boy confided in him. "Happy little clouds."

He dabbed at the walls with white. Each dab made Ryota's head ache and caused the dizziness to intensify.

"If you drag them up like this with the brush, it makes them fluffy. See?"

Each stroke added to the walls.

He was painting them in.

The Iwa ninja struggled to breathe. There was no way out and every second the room was closing in.

He slammed his fists against one of the walls and pain erupted through him. He sank to his knees. He had never experienced an illusion like this. Everything was so _real._

The images all around him, the boy giggling at him, the pain running through him - he could not decipher what was fake and what was reality.

Delirium set in.

He looked down at his hand. The shape and dimensions were wrong. His form was all _wrong_. Desperately, the Iwa ninja clawed at the earth armor to get it off. His skin ached from the contact between the two.

Drops of red pattered on his arm.

Ryota paused. Was his nose bleeding? Did he hurt himself when he struggled to get out? He wiped it away and tested the consistency with his fingers. He expected blood, but it was paint.

There was no red anywhere in the room. He lifted his hand to touch his nose and his eyes widened.

The paint was coming from him.

"Oh, yes. I need a little red!" The boy wiped the red off Ryota's arm with a brush. "I have a friend that likes this color. Do you think she'll like all of this?"

Ryota coughed and more paint sprayed out. He tried to take a step back from the boy, but he was already against a wall. Every time he tried to speak, all he could choke out was more paint. He would have screamed, but he could not draw enough air into his lungs.

"You should help me. I like it when other people join in," the boy sniffed. "I'm starting to think you don't want to play with me at all."

Ryota would have told him anything to make it all stop at that point, but he was unable.

"Fine!" He huffed.

The walls around them began to run down into the floor and flood the rest of the room. The Iwa ninja watched in horror as his arms melted to join the torrent of paint.

Hayate and Daisuke stood together and watched as Ryota thrashed on the ground and fainted.

"Well," the amber eyed boy sniffed, "That took even longer than I thought it would."

"What kind of genjutsu did you even throw on that guy?"

"I dunno," Daisuke shrugged. "Everyone perceives art differently, so I'm not exactly sure what he saw."

Hayate coughed into his hand.

"So, what are you waiting for?" Daisuke raised an eyebrow at him, "Do you want me to go over there and stab him a few times? Because I don't think he's getting up."

The proctor shook his head in amusement, "Kurama Daisuke is the winner!"

* * *

Arashi swallowed over the lump in her throat.

_This is it._

Akio touched her shoulder and nodded.

She forced a smile and walked down to the arena. It seemed impossible that it was finally time to end what started a month before. Every day since then had been dedicated to this one event.

Daisuke intercepted her.

"Good job," she told him. "I mean, I can only wish my match is going to go that well."

"Yeah, well, Ryota's an idiot. If he was any smarter, he probably would've won," he sniffed, "Anyway, I'm not going to say anything sappy - just good luck and I hope you destroy him."

"Thanks, Daisuke."

She walked to Hayate and waited for Satoshi.

The Iwa ninja was confident and every step he took announced it to the world. He smiled up to the crowd and waved. Once he was in the middle of the arena, he turned his attention to her. His lips twisted into a grin and the predatory gleam returned to his eyes.

_His grin is the most haunting thing about him._

Arashi took a deep breath to steady her nerves.

"This is going to be fun," he told her.

She ignored him.

"Begin!"

Satoshi stabbed at her with his spear.

Arashi ducked under it, _I hate that thing!_

She pulled out a kunai with a paper bomb on it and threw it at him.

His eyes widened and they both leaped back. The explosion enveloped the area with a cloud of dust.

_I have to hurry!_

She pressed her palm against the wall.

_One fuinjutsu planted!_

A mass of chakra flew out of the cloud of dust and her eyes widened - it was Satoshi's spear. She jerked back as it slammed into the wall beside her. The impact of the weapon left a crater.

The breath caught in her throat. There was a gash down the length of her arm that the Fuin Shugotenshi was knitting back together.

_He infused it with chakra. If that thing hits me, I'm dead._

Arashi felt Satoshi's chakra channeling into the ground and pulling the dirt onto his skin.

_Yes! I need him to think I don't want him using that jutsu! It'll buy me time and make him slow!_

She threw another paper bomb in his direction and sprinted away from his spear. Satoshi stopped channeling and jumped away to avoid the blast.

Arashi pressed her palm into another section of the wall, _Two out of six planted._

Satoshi's chakra shot into the ground again. Arashi's eyebrows knit together.

_Some sort of bunshin jutsu?_

The wet soil around the Iwa shinobi reformed into five mud clones.

_Oh boy. He's definitely the most advanced in his squad, but those things are only about as strong as a Mizu Bunshin no jutsu._

The clones sprinted after her.

_They're fast, but not too fast._ Her eyes narrowed. _He's probably gauging my speed._

Instead of running faster, Arashi channeled chakra into her hands to form scalpels. She was tired of playing his games.

One of the clones aimed a low sweep kick at her.

She jumped over the attack and nailed the clone in the chest with a scalpel. It crumbled to the ground and the chakra within it extinguished.

Arashi slammed her palm into another area on the wall, _Three planted._

Satoshi began to channel his chakra back into the dirt to form his armor. She glanced over to make sure that was the only thing he was doing.

Just to take a fist to the face from one of the remaining clones.

Her glasses shattered and flew off to clatter on the ground. She shrugged the blow off and destroyed the clone with a jab.

Arashi ducked under another attack and jumped onto the wall. As she ran around the arena, she planted the fourth fuinjutsu.

_His armor is almost complete, I think._

She threw another bomb, but this time Satoshi did not move.

The explosion boomed out through the stadium and her ears rang. The audience cheered in excitement - the Iwa ninja had taken that head on.

Arashi frowned. She knew he was uninjured from the strength of his signature.

_He's better at that technique than his teammates. He put it together faster than Ryota and from the consistency of chakra, I'd bet it's stronger._

Now that his defensive jutsu was complete, Satoshi made his way to his spear.

Arashi weaved between another attack from the clones. From the first day she decided to become a medic ninja, one basic thing was ingrained into her - evading damage in order to survive.

She pulled out a kunai and sliced the head off another clone.

Satoshi pulled his spear from the wall and heaved it at the kunoichi.

Arashi grit her teeth. She grabbed one of the two remaining clones and used it as a shield.

_His aim is unreal with that thing!_

The spear decimated the clone and left another crater in the wall.

_Five!_ She quickly transferred the fuinjutsu beside the weapon.

Arashi dropped down to the ground and sprinted toward the center of the arena. There was a gash in her shoulder that was mending as she ran. She wanted to get to the other side in order to put distance between herself and her opponent.

Satoshi formed several hand-seals and placed his hands on the ground. His chakra flowed through the arena in bursts.

Arashi's eyes widened.

Hands shot out of the ground and caught her leg and one of her arms. The grip was so firm that bruises were already forming. She pulled against them, but it felt like she was trying to pull down a mountain.

The last mud clone was closing in on her.

She cursed under her breath and grabbed a kunai with her free hand. She channeled chakra into it and slashed through the earth hands to free herself.

_This is bad!_

Arashi evaded a punch from the last clone and jabbed through it with her infused kunai.

_Six! All of them are planted now!_

Satoshi walked toward her, calmly. He no longer cared to hide the predatory expression on his face with a grin or any falsehoods of friendliness.

Arashi's eyes fell on the spear in his grasp, _I can't summon Sukai while he has that thing. I won't risk him killing my bird!_

She tried to navigate her way through the earth hands. They grabbed onto her clothes and even ripped some of her hair out as she tried to put distance between Satoshi and herself.

Arashi glanced back at him and her stomach turned, _He's been letting me scurry around like this because he likes to see me run.._

She could not go fast enough to get away from him with his jutsu slowing her down.

He jumped over a cluster of hands and grinned at her, "I guess this is it, doll?"

Satoshi lunged at her with his spear.

Arashi fell to her knees to avoid the blade and slapped a tag onto the shaft.

It lit up and Satoshi cursed loudly.

The kunoichi jumped away and the Iwa ninja tossed his weapon seconds before the explosive went off. The blast wave threw her and when she landed, she was disoriented.

_Have to move fast while he doesn't have his weapon!_ She used the blood already soaked into her clothing and formed the five hand-seals for the kuchiyose no jutsu.

With a shrill cry, Sukai appeared above her.

Before Satoshi could make a move, Arashi jumped on the falcon's back. With a few beats of his wings they were well out of the Iwa ninja's range.

Arashi triggered the hidden fuinjutsu. All at once they lit up and a massive amount of black powder flowed out of them and onto the ground. The gale that came with Sukai picked the powder up and coated everything below them with it.

The kunoichi breathed a sigh of relief and looked upward, blearily. She extended her arms to enjoy the freedom for a few seconds. It was almost over.

"It's time, Sukai!" She called to him.

" _Kak!_ "

He gathered chakra into his wings and she inhaled deeply.

"Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!"

Together they unleashed their jutsu. The wind beneath his wings formed into a maelstrom of wind and the fireball combined with it.

The combination jutsu hit the ground like an inferno and ignited the black powder. The stadium was filled with a deafening hiss as the powder burned and everyone was blinded by the flash of light from the combustion. A large cloud of smoke rushed through the area.

Arashi pulled a scroll out of her pack and formed the tiger hand-seal.

Down below, on the wall, Hayate peered through the smoke with stinging eyes. His shoulders shook as he hacked his way through a coughing fit. Once the smoke cleared and he could breathe again, he dropped back down to the ground.

"The Chuunin Exams are going to be the death of me," he muttered.

Sukai glided around the arena and Arashi glanced about. Satoshi was nowhere to be seen on the surface, but she could feel his signature just fine.

_Perfect! He went underground._

Everything was coming together.

"Sukai, get me close enough so I can jump down, but keep at a distance. You don't want to get hit by his spear. Trust me."

" _Kak,"_ the falcon adjusted his flight to comply with her orders.

Arashi slid from his back and landed on the ground. The grass was singed away, the trees were destroyed, and the scent of black powder made it hard to breathe.

_I know he's here._

His signature shifted under her feet and he erupted from the ground behind her.

The tip of his spear pierced completely through her. The force of the hit knocked the scroll from her hands.

"Finally!" Satoshi shouted.

The kage bunshin poofed away.

The scroll lit up and the kanji written on the paper disappeared. With a _pop_ sound, Arashi unsealed herself and jabbed at Satoshi with a chakra scalpel.

Her fingers hit his throat - just as he knocked her back with his elbow with as much force as he could muster.

To say that the hit knocked Arashi through a loop would have been an understatement.

She flew through the air and landed in a heap while Satoshi crumpled. Her ribs were fractured - she was sure of it - but the Shugotenshi was already in action to fix the damage. She rolled to her knees, grit her teeth, and stood.

Just as she was certain her ribs were in bad shape, she had no doubt that her scalpel had pierced not only his jugular but his spinal cord, as well.

Satoshi looked around with scared eyes as medics ran to his side.

Arashi watched, unblinking, as his signature expired.

_It's really over._

Hayate looked between the two and announced, "Ran Arashi is the winner!"

A roar of applause and cheering broke out.

The kunoichi looked up at them and then over at Hayate, "I forfeit the next match. I'm done."

His expression shifted to confusion and he shrugged, "If that's what you want."

"Yeah, it is."

She walked back toward the waiting room. It was not bittersweet, like she thought victory would be. There was no sweetness to it. Only bitterness.

Soma and Ryota leaped down from the waiting room and charged her with a cry of outrage. Her eyes widened. She could tell from the expressions on their faces that they were going to kill her to avenge their teammate.

Arashi braced herself and her senses came into focus - she had come too far to die to them now.

In a flash, a silver haired ANBU cut off the two Iwa Genin and left them in a groaning pile on the ground. Arashi stared, dumbfounded.

The encounter was over so fast that she did not catch all of it.

His chakra coursed through him like lightning. Standing even this close to him sent chills down her spine and made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. It had been years since she had seen this person and even longer since they spoke.

_Kakashi?_

He glanced over his shoulder at her and then turned his attention back to the Iwa shinobi. Even with his mask on, she could never mistake him for anyone else.

Daisuke and Akio ran down the stairs and out to her.

She sent a furtive glance toward Kakashi's back, _Thank you, ANBU-san._

Arashi met her teammates halfway and greeted them with a shaky laugh, "I did it, huh?"

Akio snorted in amusement.

"Yeah, that's an understatement," Daisuke looked up. "So, when were you going to tell us about the giant bird you just pulled out of your ass?"

"Um, yeah," she squinted at him, "I'm going to go see how my mom's holding up to seeing me kill someone just now."

Daisuke scrunched up his nose, "Really? Have fun with that."

* * *

The nerves of the ordeal hit her in force as Sukai carried her out of the arena and into the seating. Civilians gawked at the bird as it flew over their heads and landed in the main back of the stadium. Her hands shook as she slid off his back.

"Good job, little Arashi. _Kak_ ," Sukai gathered her under his wing.

She pressed into his downy feathers with a sigh, "I don't know how to feel about any of this."

" _Kak?_ Simple. You survived. Revile in it."

She snorted, "It's not so easy for me right now."

He ruffled his feathers.

Down below, they were sorting out the attempted attack from the Iwa Genin and preparing for the next match. Arashi knew where her parents were seated, but she needed a minute before she faced them. It bothered her that her brother and mother saw what happened.

"Good job." Ibiki leaned against a wall behind her and crossed his arms.

She looked over at him, "Really?"

He nodded, gruffly.

Arashi separated herself from the falcon and ran her hands over her ribs. They were still tender, but everything was back in order.

The silence was bothering her, so she broke it, "How do you think Daisuke and Akio will do in their next rounds?"

"Fine until they face each other. Then Daisuke will forfeit."

Arashi blinked and then laughed, "I wouldn't fight Akio, either!"

It was not long before she felt her family approaching her location.

_This is who and what I am now, I guess,_ she squared herself. _Heck, they chose to watch. For all they knew, I could've gotten killed today._

Her father greeted her with a warm smile. The ease in which he approached her and wrapped an arm around her for a quick hug was enough to alleviate some of her nerves. She never doubted he would understand.

Kazika looked at her with wide eyes and then hugged her legs.

_Yeah, I should've figured he wouldn't be bothered. I think the reason he liked that Sen guy was because he slaughtered a band of bandits or something. He's a bloodthirsty little teddy bear._

Naomi regarded her with her lips drawn into a thin line.

_Yeah, this probably isn't good for her. No civilian woman wants to see their kid do something like that,_ Arashi frowned, "Mom, I-"

"Why did you forfeit?" Naomi snapped.

Arashi stared at her, "What?"

"You won. You should've given the next fight a chance."

"Mom," she blinked, slowly, "Did you have a bet placed on me?"

"What?" Her mother looked wounded, "Of course not! And it's a good thing, too, since you threw your next match without even trying!"

Arashi rubbed her temples, "I love you, Mom."

Kazika shook her, "Look! Look! It's Sen!"

About thirty feet away, a Kiri Jounin squinted over at them as he stepped out of a restroom. Kazika waved wildly at him. He lifted a hand to wave back and walked away.

_So, that's him, huh?_

Sen had brown eyes, dark brown hair, stubble on his chin, and a scar on his cheek. He wore basic armor that had seen more than a few battles. His appearance was not what stood out to Arashi. He carried two katana with him. One was normal, but she got a strange feeling about the other.

_Chakra blades are kinda odd, anyway. They keep traces of signatures in them._

"Isn't he cool?" her brother whispered, loudly.

"Oh, calm down, Kazika." Naomi sighed. "He'll be coming over with my little noble friend soon for tea before they go back to Kirigakure."

Arashi leaned against her father and smiled to herself.

_It's over. I made it through._

She hoped that the bitter taste in her mouth would go away soon.

 


	20. Well Done

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which the result of the Chuunin Selection Exam is revealed, Arashi visits the Uchiha compound, and her mother has company over.

Arashi hardly paid attention to the rest of the fights. It was hard to see what was happening without glasses from her seat with the audience. Yoshiro, beat Soma. The fight was brutal, but over fast. Next he fought his teammate Kenji and pulled through. Daisuke managed to beat the Kiri Shinobi, but forfeited the final match that was between Akio and himself. The tournament ended quickly.

Once everything was over, each participant was excused with the instructions to report back to the Hokage's office in two days. The judges needed that time to review all the parts of the exam, each participant's abilities, and their previous missions. Only after they were done consulting with each other over each of the Genin that made it all the way through and survived would they make their decisions. There was a chance that all of them would become a Chuunin, just as there was a chance that none of them would be promoted.

The streets were still packed with people from outside the Hidden Village, but only a small amount of them were from foreign Lands. Naomi stayed busy with the influx of business that came with the lively tourists. The restaurants were packed, stores were wracking in profits, and Ookami went back to spending most of his time working.

Arashi spent most of her free day in bed, sleeping. The exhaustion of everything that happened with Satoshi did not melt away as his life slipped away as she hoped it would. If anything, feeling his signature flicker out sucked even more energy out of her. His death made nothing right. The scar across her throat was still there, she still had spikes of fear in the night, and she found herself wondering what her life would have been like as a civilian. The thought that he would never harm another girl again was one of the few things that brought her comfort.

ANBU were still busy monitoring the foreign shinobi and any tourists that were possibly spies. If Ibiki was not Arashi's sensei and if she did not notice how busy Itachi stayed, then she might have thought there was a sense of camaraderie between the different Lands. Instead, she saw how closely they watched each other for weaknesses.

If she thought about it too much, then it would leave her chilled.

* * *

Arashi met her teammates and Sensei outside the Hokage's office.

Akio was wearing a new coat and had the hood pulled over his head. He seemed much more comfortable now that he had all of his layers on. Daisuke still wore the paint that made her dizzy when she looked at him, but it was toned down considerably.

_Wearing your genjutsu just in case you land yourself in a tight situation is a pretty good idea, I guess._

Ibiki looked his team over one last time and motioned for them to follow him.

_Now to hear the final results._

Arashi did not have high expectations for herself. She doubted they would judge her favorably after she forfeited. She could have easily stayed around for another fight.

All of the participants lined up in front of the Hokage and all of the proctors. Daisuke and Akio stood at her sides while the two remaining Iwa shinobi glared at her from the corners of their eyes. Psychopath or not, Satoshi was a part of their squad and Arashi did kill him. It was of no surprise that they did not care for her after her victory, but she ignored them. What was done was done.

The Third exhaled a breath of smoke, "Each of you performed excellently, but only four of you have proven ready to be a Chuunin."

_Four? That's half of us!_

"It is not often that we have such a show of skill in a single Selection Exam," the old kage continued. "You should all be proud."

The Third nodded to one of the proctors.

The Chuunin stepped forward and announced, "Saito Yoshiro, Kurama Daisuke, Aburame Akio, and Ran Arashi. You are all being promoted to Chuunin."

At first the words did not register in her ears. She blinked a few times as Ibiki and three other proctors distributed vests and the certificates verifying their new rank to the fresh Chuunin. The two Mist Genin congratulated their friend and Daisuke said something, but it all droned together in the background.

The kunoichi grabbed her Sensei's sleeve and shot him an incredulous look.

He smirked at her reaction, nodded, and tugged out of her grasp.

_No way._ She looked down at her vest. _I'm a Chuunin?!_

The Hokage gave a speech about the importance of their new roles. Once again, Arashi was struck by how _long winded_ the elderly man was.

_I guess if I live to be his age, I'll have a lot to talk about, too._

After they were dismissed, Ibiki gathered his students and they stood outside together.

_Is this really all there is to us as a team?_ Arashi glanced at her teammates and frowned. _We've only just started getting along._

"This is the end of us as Genin and Sensei," Ibiki announced, "you are all well on your way to being fine shinobi, but if you need any advice or help from me, you know where to find me."

"Chuunin or not, I'm not done with you," Daisuke sniffed. "There's still a lot I want to learn from you."

Ibiki crossed his arms, "So, you intend to hone your skills for my ward?"

"Of course. I can't really think of anything else that would suit me," the genjutsu specialist replied.

"Hn. I want more instruction, as well," Akio admitted.

"Is that so?" Ibiki smirked.

"Well," Arashi shrugged, "I don't think you're getting rid of us so easily. Can't just undo two years of us being dependent on you by handing us tacky vests and a piece of paper."

"And here I've thought the two years of training I put all of you through was supposed to do that." The Jounin chuckled, "Well, I have paperwork. I'm sure you fledgling Chuunin can handle yourselves until after I'm caught up for the day."

He formed a hand-seal and exited with a shunshin no jutsu.

Arashi waved the smoke out of her face, "You know, I didn't think any of us would make it. I mean, younger people have been promoted, but they were really impressive shinobi."

Akio gave her a flat look and one of his eyebrows rose above his sunglasses.

"Really, Shi-Shi-chan?" Daisuke sniffed. "Are you saying you've secretly thought we were scrubs? I'm hurt."

_When did I ever keep it secret?_ Arashi bit the inside of her cheek to suppress the snide remark, "No, but we're not the most impressive shinobi of this generation, either."

Daisuke crossed his arms and threw his nose up in distaste. The flak vest dangled from his grasp, awkwardly.

"Oh, shush and put your vest on," she mumbled. "Let's see how we look in these things."

With a shrug, Daisuke slid it on and sneered down at it. Arashi slipped into hers and pursed her lips.

"Some shinobi look like they were born in these things," she commented.

"Yeah, but it looks like we're being eaten by them, instead," Daisuke muttered.

Akio grunted, "Are these even meant to fit?"

Arashi glanced over at the Aburame. Akio had put the vest on over his coat and it was still too large. She disguised a laugh as a cough and tilted her head to one side to get a better look.

"I don't think it's supposed to go on over your coat," she commented.

Akio frowned and adjusted his hood with a grunt.

"Yeah, I don't think we'll be wearing these," Daisuke took his off.

"Yeah, no." Arashi agreed.

They lapsed into silence. When either Daisuke or Arashi would start to say something, they would cut themselves off. Akio watched them in silence.

_We can't just stand here all day, lost._

"Well," Arashi finally cleared her throat. "I need to work on my Fuin Shugotenshi some more, so I can't hang around, but," she played with the end of her scarf, "I don't want this to be the end of _us_. Sure, we're all Chuunin now and we'll be busier, but I guess I'd like to think we can all be friends even if we're no longer on a Genin squad together?"

Daisuke and Akio glanced at each other.

It reminded her vividly of when they were given the option to keep her as a teammate by Ibiki. She subconsciously braced herself for rejection. Up to this point in her life she had few friends and all of those were people she proclaimed as her friend. None of it was gradual or started by the other person. She simply decided like the spoiled girl she was that she wanted it.

She felt rather socially inept in regards to initiating a _friendship_ and it did not help that these two boys were people she openly and actively disliked for years.

"Sure, whatever," Daisuke shrugged, "We can slip into a restaurant or something between missions and complain about responsibilities or something."

Akio grunted his approval.

Arashi smiled in relief, "Alright. Thanks, guys."

They lapsed into silence again.

"Anyway, I'm going to go do something productive before the day is over," she awkwardly excused herself, "I'll see you two later."

* * *

Now that she no longer had her match with Satoshi as a main concern, she was able to focus on other things. Her project was not complete. It needed to be adjusted and the issue that caused the scarring across her throat needed to be corrected. After hours of reviewing it, she was fairly certain she knew where the error was. It needed just a minor change to set the jutsu on the right course from what she could tell.

Thoughtfully, she slid her fingers under her scarf to touch the scar.

_Maybe I should get some help with this to be sure?_

As talented as she was in fuinjutsu, she realized she could learn much from people that were more experienced and knowledgeable. Shisui's recommendation echoed in her ears.

_I'm not sure which Jounin specialize in this stuff and I don't want to go to just some random person with my project._

She pursed her lips and rested her elbows on the table in front of her.

_Hmm._

Arashi looked around the library.

_Wait a second._

The Third Hokage was known as the _Professor_ because of his knowledge.

_It was the Sandaime's decision to let me use his library. He must have seen something promising in the Fuin Shugotenshi if he decided to let me have this privilege. Even if he doesn't want to help me or doesn't have time, then maybe he can send me in the right direction._

Her lips drew into a thin line.

_I guess it's time to request a short meeting with him?_

* * *

Arashi felt awkward as she found one of the Hokage's aides and voiced her request. She had never felt comfortable in her kage's presence. He was a living, breathing legend. Sarutobi Hiruzen was the strongest kage Konoha had ever known and quite possibly the strongest shinobi that the Land of Fire produced so far in its history. He was not just the kindhearted grandfather-figure of the Village - he was a warrior that every shinobi should either respect or fear.

_I'll run this by him and then be right out of his hair. No big deal, right? Just have to wait around until he has a moment to see me._

Arashi would not have described herself as the nervous type until a shinobi ushered her to the Third's office door and walked away. The kunoichi's hands were typically steady - something she was proud of - but as she lifted a fist to knock on the door, it shook like a leaf in the wind.

_Lovely._

She tapped her knuckles against the wood a few times and cracked the door open to peer inside, "Hokage-sama?"

"There you are," he smiled good naturedly. "You needed to speak with me?"

"Yeah, I just wanted your advice on something really quick."

He motioned for her to sit in front of his desk.

"Well," she placed a copy of her jutsu between them, "I found a minor issue with my jutsu right here," she pointed to it and rushed on, "and I think by making this adjustment it will work, but I wanted your advice. This is very important to me and I have to be sure."

He peered over it and hummed to himself, "Let's discuss this over a cup of tea?"

"Oh, uh - okay."

Within minutes they were pouring over the document with their drinks in hand. The herbal scent helped ease her nervousness. The way that it mingled with the heavy smell of tobacco gave the atmosphere a distinct quality.

_Hmm. This tea is really familiar._

It struck her that it was the same kind that she would sometimes wake up to in the library.

_Wait a second._

She looked at the tea, then the Third and then the tea again.

_Was he behind it and not some friendly ANBU that recognized me?_

Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke and motioned toward the cup with his pipe, "I find that tea helps me focus on things that would otherwise be tedious or difficult, especially in the mornings or at night. Don't you agree?"

_It was him!_ She nodded and looked down at her lap, "Yes, and thank you Sandaime-sama."

"There were those who questioned whether it was worth redirecting Ibiki's time into a Genin team, but I believe you, Akio, and Daisuke will continue to show that it was indeed worth the effort. Well done, Arashi."

If she could have, she would have hidden under something to hide the embarrassed look on her face.

"I'm grateful that I was a part of that squad."

He leaned forward again and scanned over her work, "It's refreshing to see a kunoichi with your potential. I am fond of fuinjutsu. When I was shown the beginnings of this, I knew I wanted to see what you could do if given the proper resources. Konoha's wellbeing is _my_ wellbeing. I care for all of these people like they are my own flesh and blood. I would like to see this jutsu of yours save lives."

The Hokage took a draw from his pipe. In the grand scheme of everything she doubted it would save a vast amount of lives, but if it could save even a few it would be worth the effort she put into it.

"I understand," she replied. "And thank you for your time. I know you stay very, very busy and I don't mean to intrude or anything."

He chuckled, "Nonsense. I enjoy working on puzzles like this. It's good to exercise your mind."

"I guess that's why some people call you the Professor?"

"I've been called worse."

_Oh my, he has a sense of humor,_ She giggled behind a hand, "Sandaime-sama!"

The corners of his eyes crinkled with his grin.

They went over every step of the jutsu together. Hiruzen was very knowledgeable and had more than a few pieces of advice to give her along the way. The tense nervousness that weighed her down and made her hands shake was soon replaced by a sense of fascination. She had never gotten to talk to someone who was leaps and bounds better at fuinjutsu than she was. At least not since Kushina was first teaching her. Even the instructors in the Academy only had a limited understanding of the subject and it was not something pushed onto the students.

Something glinted to the side of them.

Arashi tore her attention away from the lesson she was receiving to see what it was. It was a crystal ball. She raised an eyebrow at it and shot an inquisitive look toward Hiruzen.

"Oh, that old thing?" He retrieved it and offered it to her, "I use it to keep an eye on the Village."

She accepted it and turned it in her hands, "What jutsu do you use?"

"The tomegane no jutsu."

"I'm not familiar with it," she admitted. "How does it work?"

"Here," he plucked it out of her hands and set it on the table, "It is not a jutsu that many are able to use. It requires the user to know the target's chakra pattern. As such, only sensor types that are able to distinguish between signatures are able to utilize it."

Arashi leaned forward, fascinated, "Really?"

Perhaps it was the eager curiosity in her eyes or the way her face lit up, but something about her reaction was amusing to the old man.

"As a demonstration, let's see what Naruto is up to," the Third suggested.

The kunoichi watched as an image of the boy appeared within the ball. Her eyebrows rose. It showed more than just Naruto. His surroundings were included, as well.

_I've never seen anything quite like this._ She squinted. _He's supposed to be in class right now. Skipping again, huh?_

The boy turned down a street and stood in front of a house that was surrounded by a sizeable garden. An elderly woman sat in front of a pond with a cat at each of her sides as she fed the fish. Arashi was struck with an intense sensation of déjà vu.

_That's Chiharo._

Her back stiffened and Naruto crept onto her property.

_Oh, no he isn't!_

She looked up at the Third to find his eyebrows knit in annoyance.

_Yep.. Naruto's up to no good and the Hokage knows it._ She pursed her lips and turned her attention back to the ball. _That boy might be biting off more than he can chew with that crazy old lady._

"Oh boy," she whispered.

Naruto did not make it far before the old woman shot toward him with a broom in hand. The boy screamed and ran.

Chiharo pressed one hand to her hip - it had been giving her problems for years now - and swiped at the boy with her makeshift weapon.

"He better be happy she hasn't caught him," Arashi mumbled. "That woman is scary."

Naruto tripped and landed on his face.

The old woman shrieked in laughter as she closed the distance between them.

The boy scrambled on his hands and knees to get away - narrowly dodging another swipe of the broom.

_If she wanted, she could've already flogged the orange out of his shirt,_ Arashi bit back and laugh. _I'm going to have a talk with him about trespassing. Maybe this will be a good lesson?_

Chiharo chased the boy to the end of the street before she gave up on her chase. Arashi and the Third looked at each other and shook their heads in both amusement and frustration.

"So," she cleared her throat, "That's the tomegane no jutsu!"

The old man chuckled, "Yes. Perhaps when we both have free time, I could teach you this technique?"

_The Sandaime is offering to teach me a jutsu? Me!_

The possibilities of what she could do boggled her mind. With her sensing abilities, she could familiarize herself to a target's chakra and use the jutsu to gather in depth intel. If she practiced with it, there was a chance she could set herself up in a nice position outside of the medical field if she wanted. Daisuke wanted to work under Ibiki. If she mastered this, then she could potentially work with them even if she ended up in a different division.

Spying from a distance did not require advanced combat skills. That meant it was a possibility for her.

_I can practice spying on Daisuke, Akio, and maybe Itachi!_

She could answer certain questions she had too much dignity to ask them about, such as what Daisuke's hair looked like wet, what Akio looked like without the three to four layers of clothes he kept on, or if Itachi hums in the shower.

_Oh, wait. Apparently, I just want to see everyone naked._ Her face heated up. _What's wrong with me?_

"Well?" The Third watched her.

Arashi's expression went blank, "Thank you for the offer, but I'm afraid the temptation might be too much."

He began to ask her to clarify what she meant but his eyes lit up in realization and his mouth snapped shut. She tried to pretend she was somewhere else. Instead of explaining her stance any farther, she took a sip of tea.

Hiruzen cleared his throat, "One advantage of the jutsu is that the targets are completely unaware."

Arashi choked on her beverage, "Sandaime-sama!"

* * *

Arashi never thought she would find a kindred spirit of sorts in the Third Hokage. They were both sensors, they shared a passion for fuinjutsu, as well as having a mutual soft spot for Naruto.

_And we're both closet perverts, apparently._

No one needed to know she still intended to take the Hokage up on his offer. The pros outweighed any cons she could think of.

_Time to tell Mom the good news._

"Guess what, Mom?" Arashi examined her nails with a smug expression on her life.

Naomi preened in a mirror, "What's that?"

"Come on. Guess."

"You have your first date?"

Arashi's face soured, "No. I'm a Chuunin now, Mom."

Naomi made sure her eyebrows were good before she regarded her daughter, "Congratulations! We'll have to go out somewhere nice to celebrate when your father has an evening off!"

_Oh yeah. Better make sure those brows are on point before you even look at me,_ Arashi crossed her arms, "So, what's up?"

"Hm? Oh!" Naomi grinned, "I have company coming over this evening."

"Those Kiri people?"

"Of course. They'll be leaving the village soon."

"Mhm."

Arashi was a little disappointed in her mother.

"Oh, and I forgot," Naomi fetched a basket full of various lotions and hair care products. "These are for Mikoto. I promised I'd keep an eye out for some things for her before I left and I keep forgetting to take them to her."

"So, you're wanting to get me out of the house so you can finish getting everything ready and you're using my best friend's mother as an excuse?"

"Basically."

"Wow, Mom. Wow."

"Look everyone knew you'd get your promotion with the show you put on and I really am proud of you, but - I get to entertain _nobility_!"

"I don't even have words." Arashi narrowed her eyes at her mother. "I was so excited to tell you."

"Oh, shush and go on before I make you take Kazika with you," Naomi went back to preening. "Unless you'd like to babysit for me this evening?"

Arashi snatched up the basket and scurried away. The last thing she wanted to do was drag her little brother through the Uchiha compound and have to explain why everyone looked so inexplicably angry the whole time. She had other things to focus on.

* * *

There was something cold about the compound.

The weather was lovely, but that did nothing to ease the chill that settled into her spirit as she walked. Her senses told her something was wrong, but outwardly everything seemed fine. The clan members watched her as she passed by, but none of them offered a friendly greeting.

_I've known these people since I was six and they're treating me like a stranger?_

It left a bad feeling in her stomach.

She felt like she was somehow no longer in Konoha. the architecture was the same, the surroundings were the same, but the soul of that placed was different. There was no cheer anywhere that she looked, even though everyone went about their day like a common citizen. The banter and interactions reminded her of actors on a stage - no matter how well their dialogue was written and how familiar they were with their roles, she felt like a member of an audience waiting for something to happen.

_What is going on here?_

Arashi looked down at her feet and tightened her grip on the basket's handle. There was something inherently wrong about how dark it was in a place that souls of fire dwelled.

She chewed on her lip, anxiously.

_It hasn't always been like this._

She closed her eyes and scanned through all of the signatures around her. Itachi, Sasuke, and Mikoto were not among the ones in the area. She assumed they were out and busy with other things. A part of her was relieved that her friend was not around. She still had not figured out how she was going to approach her newfound feelings for him and trying to ignore them was proving to be ineffective.

She shook her head in an attempt to shake her thoughts away. To her surprise, Fugaku's signature was present. He worked all the time like her father, typically.

_I guess he's taking an early evening off today?_

She had not had a direct conversation with the man since his warning about Naruto. The lack of contact between them was not strange. He was never the type to converse with her casually, so that detail did not bother her. She was more nervous about interacting with him alone. There was something about his eyes that pierced when they focused on her.

_Drop the basket off and leave. You've faced worse than an epic stink eye._

Arashi's lips thinned into a line. The man had never cared much for her friendship with his son. He was always focused on turning Itachi into the next clan leader, honing him into a ruthless killer, and using him for the Uchiha's purposes despite the boy's gentle spirit. The fact that she was his only friend outside the clan had not evaded her notice. As a child she was flattered and it made her feel special, but now it struck her as a systematic distancing.

_Well, the Hyuuga aren't much better. They keep to themselves, too._

Some of the noble clans were elitists. There was no arguing against that.

Ultimately, Arashi knew Uchiha Fugaku did not consider her to be good enough to take up any of his son's time.

_I wonder how different his opinion of me would be if I was looking at the world through a pair of Sharingan._

She tried to not let the thought make her bitter.

_When did the fact that I don't wear a fan on my back make these people forget the years they welcomed me and grinned as I played with Itachi?_

She shook the thoughts away. They left a bad taste in her mouth.

* * *

"Fugaku-san?" Arashi called out.

A few moments passed and she was greeted by the man, "Oh? Are you looking for Itachi?"

"No, actually, I was here to drop this off," She lifted the basket to show him. "From Mom for Mikoto."

He raised an eyebrow, glanced at the contents and slid it out of her grasp.

She smiled awkwardly and took a step back toward the door, "I guess I'll be going now."

"If you have a little time, I'd like to have a talk with you."

Arashi blinked, "Eh?"

His lips quirked in amusement, "Come in. I was about to make something to eat."

"Erm, okay?" She followed him inside. _What does he have to say now?_

Fugaku placed the basket down and led her into the kitchen. He motioned for her to take a seat and then began preparing food. Arashi shifted uncomfortably and waited.

"I'm not a good cook," the man admitted, casually. "My wife is much better, but she's out right now, so I'll try to throw something together for us."

_Us?_ She picked at the end of her scarf, "You really don't need to."

"Well, you're my guest right now," he replied. "It won't be much and it should be edible."

There was something about his tone that made her sit up straight. He was trying to behave casually, but he was putting off an undeniably diplomatic vibe. She was impressed. She had never seen someone be so businesslike while preparing Edamame.

_This is, uh, new?_

"Mikoto and I watched your match."

Her stomach twisted. She wanted to forget that she ever met Satoshi.

"I thought you'd be busy with work," she tried to divert the conversation. "I'm sure the Police Force had their hands full. ANBU was busy from what I could tell."

"My patrol conveniently included the arena for the first few matches," he continued. "You did well."

"Thank you." She stared at the fan on his back, suspiciously. _I should have just left the basket by the door and left. This man has_ never _given me a compliment before. Not really, anyway._

"My clan does not often produce medical shinobi and although the Police Force operates inside Konoha, we like to have medics on duty with us."

"That makes sense."

The conversation faded away. When fugaku was done cooking, he divided the food between himself and the kunoichi and took a seat across from her. She took a bite to be polite.

"Were you promoted?"

She nodded, "I was. Found out earlier today."

"I thought you would be." He commented. "What do you intend to do from here?"

"Well, I need to get used to being a Chuunin. I expect there will be a little bit of adjustment. Genin don't really have many responsibilities, so the transition will be the first thing I'll worry about. After that, though?" She pursed her lips. "I have a personal project I've been working on and I'd like to continue my medical education. Wherever that takes me is where I'll go, I guess."

"Hmm. I see. I have a proposition."

"A proposition?" She repeated. "What kind?"

"Continue to commit yourself and maybe in several years you will be a Jounin. Once you get there, I'll have a position on the Force ready for you."

She blinked, "What? Did I hear you right just then?"

His lips quirked in amusement again, "I thought it could be mutually beneficial. Medical shinobi are harder to come by and you're familiar with my clan. I'm sure you've noticed that there are many that are _put off_ when dealing with those who possess a kekkei genkai."

"Yeah," she felt blindsided by the offer. "This is just a lot to take in."

"Also, Itachi will not always be involved with ANBU. I expect him to someday take a position under me and then eventually replace me. I figured that maybe you would like to work with him in the future. You've been persistent in your friendship with him."

Arashi took another bite of food and crinkled the corners of her eyes at him like the idea charmed her. If it was offered to her by anyone else, it would have, but she felt like there had to be a motive behind his proposition. The Police Force was comprised of _elite_ shinobi and most of the members were Uchiha. It was seldom that anyone outside the clan was even considered. She doubted she would ever be of the caliber to earn her keep.

_And why did he bring up Itachi as a bargaining chip?_ She resisted the urge to chew on her lip. _What exactly does he want with me?_

She tried to push the feeling away. This was a good opportunity.

_I'm probably just being paranoid._

"What do you say? You'll get to work with my son and use your skills to help a good cause." Fugaku pressed. "You don't have to worry about it today or any time soon, but I'd like you to think on it."

"When I become a Jounin?" She was proud that her voice did not waiver. "If you'll have me on the Force, I'd gladly join."

"That's a good girl." Fugaku smiled.

Arashi finished the snack and excused herself politely.

She wanted the future that the man painted for her.

_All of these years and I've never once walked on the same path that Itachi has. Maybe with this I can finally achieve that?_

Certain aspects of their conversation stuck out to her and polluted the hope he gave her.

_People being put off by the Uchiha? Sure. I think basically everyone's noticed it. They're bitter that the Uchiha didn't fight the Kyuubi off, but if Fugaku wasn't around then I would've been trampled._

The main thing that bothered her was that she felt like a fish eyeing bait. If she took a bite, then the hook would catch her.

Uchiha Fugaku always had his clan at the forefront of his mind.

She was certain that he was more concerned about using her to aid the Uchiha and not just the Force.

_What better cause is there in his eyes?_

She frowned and looked around at the compound one last time. If joining the Police Force would help lessen even a fraction of the segregation and division between the Uchiha and Konoha, she would do it regardless of the hook she knew was hidden. She wanted to feel warmth in that place once again.

If Itachi was the bridge from the Uchiha clan to Konoha, she wanted to be the bridge from Konoha to the Uchiha.

* * *

_This... is so wrong._

The sight that greeted Arashi when she made it home was one she would never forget. Naomi was drunk. The nobleman was drunk. The two inebriated adults were howling with laughter while the Kiri Jounin, Sen, was trying to entertain himself by cleaning one of his katanas. She was not sure what she missed that was so funny, but her mother was on the floor and the not-so-refined noble was on his hands and knees.

Arashi squinted into the room at them.

"Hey, Sis?" Kazika whispered from behind her.

She looked down at him and whispered back, "What?"

"Isn't Sen cool?"

She gave her brother a flat look and returned her attention to the scene in front of them.

_Little boys and their hero worship..._

"Oh! Arasshhhi! Meet my friend!" Noami slurred from the floor. "Masumo- _samaa_ ~"

The girl pursed her lips and stepped into the room. She bowed politely to the intoxicated man. He continued laughing at the floor and failing to stand up.

Sen looked up from his blade and grimaced, "Masumo _-sama_ , maybe you should acknowledge Naomi-san's daughter?"

The nobleman tried to compose himself, "Sho, you're Arasshhi? Ahh, you're sshuch a cute little kunoichi!"

Arashi's lips thinned into a line.

Masumo was no civilian of any sort. His signature was disciplined like that of a shinobi, he had the chakra reserves of at least a Jounin, and an affinity of water. The man in front of her was a ninja.

_Dammit Mom._ Her heart lurched in her chest. _You've went and made friends with spies, haven't you?_

Arashi forced a friendly smile. She could not think of any other reason for a shinobi to be impersonating a nobleman - unless a specific noble sent a ninja in his stead in order to have an alibi - but it was more likely that Kirigakure was sizing up Konoha.

Masumo looked over at Naomi, "Oh, I have another shtory to tell you! You jusht won't believe what my wife's been up to..."

Arashi turned to Sen, "How long will you and Masumo-sama be in Konoha?"

"We're leaving in the morning."

She nodded.

Sen had a large chakra pool. Out of the two Kiri shinobi, she had the distinct feeling he was the most dangerous out of the two. His natural affinity appeared to be lightning and traces of his chakra were present in his weapon. From his appearance she guessed he was about twenty.

_I need to report this, but.. really, what am I supposed to say? They're leaving in the morning and if I act suspicious then it might cause a confrontation.. where these two Jounin could easily kill me._

The swordsman looked like he wanted to be anywhere in the world but there.

_Well, he looks fed up._

She tilted her head toward him, "Well, if you need anything, let me know."

"Will do."

Kazika edged into the room and shot a toothy grin at his new hero. Arashi intercepted her brother before he could make it to the Jounin. He glared up at her and started to step around her, but she grabbed him and pushed him out of the room.

"Kazika, leave the adults alone right now, okay?"

The last thing she wanted was her brother hanging out with a dangerous shinobi from a different country. She had learned the hard way what _friendship_ meant between ninjas and she wanted to shield the boy from that harsh reality for as long as she could.

"But, Sis-"

"No, Kazika." She looked over her shoulder at the irritated Jounin again, "Look, he's being a respectable bodyguard. Let him do his job in peace, alright?"

He pouted and looked away from her.

"Go to your room. If you do, I promise I'll show you something really cool tomorrow," she whispered.

"Like what?" The boy's curiosity was piqued.

"I'll let you ride on Sukai."

The boy's eyes lit up and he ran upstairs to his room without anymore objections.

_Alright. Now that he's up there, I need to make sure Mom doesn't do anything else ridiculous._

Sen stood, sheathed his katana and joined Arashi in the hallway. His presence in her home made her very uncomfortable.

"Look, I'd like to apologize for my _employer's_ actions and his current prone position on the floor," he spoke with barely held in check irritation, "I don't think there's a damn thought in his head beyond gossip and sake. Never mind the way he makes our country look like a bunch of morons."

Arashi shook her head, "You don't have to apologize. You're not the one drunk."

"I'd probably be in a better mood if I was." Sen looked her over and snorted, "You somehow look even smaller up close."

"Eh?" She looked down at herself. "I think I'm about normal."

"You have one hell of a chakra reserve for your age. I didn't expect a little medic kunoichi to be involved in a fun fight. Medics usually get the short end of the stick in tournaments like those. Good job, girl. You might make a decent shinobi some day." Her looked around. "Now where's a toilet?"

She pointed, "Over there."

Just as everyone said, the Chuunin Exams had far reaching results. Even other Lands would talk about the matches, at least for a little while. Even with the doubts that remained from her brush in with Satoshi, Arashi's career was more promising now than ever.

_I don't even know what to think of this day. Just make it until they leave and then go from there._

If she survived the night, anyway.


	21. Hide and Seek

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adolescence brings many changes and Arashi could live the rest of her life without ramen and be happy for it.

**Hide and Seek**

Arashi signed to Itachi _~Coming our way.~_

_~How far?~_ He signed back.

_~Ten meters. Closing in.~_

The shinobi stood with their backs against two trees as they evaded their target. The air was perfumed with pollen from the forest and the only sounds that could be heard was the soft shuffling of the leaves in the wind and footsteps as someone drew near. No birds sang and nothing stirred. It was almost eerie, as if they could sense the tension thickening in the air.

_~Fall back?~_ She asked.

_~Wait.~_ He replied.

Arashi chewed on her lips. The signature was drawing closer, albeit slowly. It was clear that he was not sure where the two Konoha shinobi were. If they fell back now, then it would buy them more time.

_He'd probably get lost, too._ The kunoichi mentally grumbled.

"Brother? Arashi?" Sasuke called out - no more than ten feet from her position. "You'd better not be cheating with jutsu!"

Arashi was involved in a heated match of Hide and Seek.

_Oh, sweetie.. You're telling ninjas not to cheat._

Itachi and Arashi exchanged a look.

The kunoichi picked up a rock and threw it away from their location. It protested with a dull thud when it hit a tree.

The boy's eyes widened and he pivoted around, "There!"

Sasuke raced toward the sound.

Arashi watched the boy's back until he disappeared behind several more trees. Once she was sure their position was secure, she looked over to Itachi. His eyebrow was arched just a fraction.

She shrugged, innocently.

The corner of his mouth quirked upward in amusement.

_Any moment now, he should figure it out._

Sasuke's signature stopped and started on its way back to their location.

_He knows we're in this area. He's a smart kid._

_~Coming back. Knows we're here, but not exactly where.~_ She signed to Itachi.

The Uchiha nodded and signed back, _Follow my lead._

He created a clone and she followed suit. His jumped into the trees and her clone followed after it.

_~What is your plan?~_ She tilted her head to one side.

He motioned for her to wait. She nodded.

Their silent conversation was the most they had spoken since before her match with Satoshi.

Originally, when she went to the Uchiha compound, she planned on stealing Itachi if he was free that evening so that they could go to a cafe to catch up. It had been about a week since the Chuunin Selection Exam ended and all of the foreigners were gone. She hoped to spend some time with him since ANBU was no longer as busy.

Sasuke had his own plans for what his brother was going to do that evening and thus she found herself pulled into the affair.

_Not sure how much fun he's having, though._

She peeked around the tree and watched him look around. For an Academy student he was doing well masking his presence. He controlled his breathing, made sure he stepped lightly, and she could almost feel how hard he was straining to hear something to give away their location. Only the occasional frustrated mumble slipped through his lips and then he would return to being as quiet as possible.

_Naruto would probably sound like an elephant stampeding through here right now.._

Sasuke's signature flared with annoyance. He knew they were around, but no matter how many trees he looked behind he never found them.

One of their clones cleared its throat and caught the boy's attention. This time he did not sprint toward the sound. He looked around once more and then slid behind a tree to conceal himself.

_Oh?_

Sasuke waited another moment and then hid behind another tree, closer to their clones.

_Taking his time and trying to sneak up on us? Good idea._

Several minutes passed before Sasuke managed to plant himself a mere few feet from the clones. Arashi watched, intently.

_Okay, what now, Itachi?_ She wondered.

Her friend's clone exposed himself - just for a second - and Sasuke pounced. He latched onto his older brother like his life depended on it.

"Found you!"

_Poof!_

Sasuke was left coughing in a cloud of smoke.

A snicker tore itself from her, but before it could turn into a full blown laugh Itachi covered her mouth and pulled them behind a different tree.

Sasuke looked toward their real location. Her moment of weakness gave them away. The boy was about to investigate, but Arashi's clone giggled and drew him in the wrong direction.

_That was close._

Itachi held her against him and watched as his brother faded from sight in pursuit of their decoy. In all of the years Arashi knew him, she had never been uncomfortable with his presence until now. Everyone that knew her knew she was a 'hug first, ask their name later' type of kid and that lack of concern for personal space carried over into her preteens then to now. Itachi never even blinked when she would throw her arms around him to give him a quick squeeze. They shared food together, she told him every silly thing that came to her mind while he listened patiently, and he had seen her at her worst. They watched each other grow up to this point with nothing less than unquestionable mutual friendship.

Without a doubt in her mind she knew that he knew her better than anyone else - and for some reason he still put up with her.

It was that understanding that made her not-so-platonic feelings toward him painful. He had the makings to be one of Konoha's uttermost best. She felt overwhelmed with the newness of just being a Chuunin. He was going to one day be the head of a clan of elite ninja. She would consider herself lucky if she managed to earn Fugaku's proposed position on the Police Force. There was nothing he touched that he was not good at, whereas she was good only in support niches. He was destined for greatness and she was almost certain she would be forgotten.

In the face of all of that, she could not understand why she was worried about whether or not he thought she looked pretty in purple or if he liked the scent of the body wash she used. Thoughts like those were pointless, but they continued to bombard her.

A part of her resented it.

She wanted to be comfortable and assured of her position in his life. She wanted to feel at home in her skin once again. She wanted to feel at ease in his presence instead of being plagued by self doubt.

No matter how much she tried to wish for it to go back to how it was before, she knew it would never be the same again.

The sensation of his signature pressed against her back and his arm wrapped around her waist made chills run up her spine. She wished she could become a part of that warmth, even if she would only amount to a spark and nothing more.

She tried to push those thoughts from her mind.

Awkwardly, she pulled away from Itachi, "Sasuke's signature is pretty far off now."

Itachi nodded.

Arashi sat down and leaned against the tree behind them. Itachi joined her. Everything was quiet once again.

It should have been a companionable silence, but she felt tense. She hoped he could not tell that she was a little _off_ around him. She glanced at him from the corner of her eye and then looked away.

_He's been even more distant, himself._

"How do you perceive chakra?" Itachi asked in a soft whisper.

"How do I perceive chakra? You mean, how do I sense people?"

"Yes."

"Well, everyone feels like a um, hmm," she thought for a moment, "It's like sensations and currents. Every signature is different and they all flow in their own way. If I concentrate and really focus on specific ones, then I can tell a lot more about them - I mean, depending on distance, too. When I was little, everyone felt basically the same - like lights or flames - unless I was close to them or knew them really well. Since Ibiki Sensei started making me work at tracking people with it, the things I can tell started becoming more, uhm," she tried to think of an appropriate word, " _Refined_? Like, I can tell if someone has a natural affinity and which Land they're from. Quantity of chakra, too, but all of this stuff can be overwhelming. Sometimes it's like an overload."

"Hmm."

"During the Chuunin Exams, when I walked into the room with all those shinobi from other Lands? Yeah, that was overwhelming, and," she trailed off and picked at the end of her scarf, "A lot to take in."

She had never explained what it was like to him. He never asked.

_Is he trying to break the tension or am I just talking too much like usual?_

Arashi was not sure how to read the situation. It was around the time that he discovered her scar that things changed. She apologized about keeping it a secret, but the words felt flimsy to her.

"Thank you, by the way, for noticing and thank you for understanding." She swallowed over the lump in her throat before she continued, "I didn't mean to push you away. I honestly don't know what I would do without your friendship," she wanted everything to be right between them, "I talk too much, don't I?"

"I don't mind listening to you," Itachi pinched her nose, "And there's no need to apologize. I feel it's my responsibility to look out for your best interests, but we all keep our own secrets and fight our own battles at some point."

She blinked and regarded him. He was growing up and gradually leaving boyhood behind. She could still see the gentle creature he was when they first met when she looked at him, but there was much more to him than that. Perhaps he had never quite been _just_ a boy.

At a loss for words, she changed the subject, "What's up with you and my nose, anyway?"

His lips quirked again and he looked away.

"What? Are you seriously not going to tell me?" She squinted at him, _I'm supposed to be the coy one._

Several moments passed and he still did not respond.

"Well," Arashi huffed, "You could tell me if you just think my face looks weird or if my eyes cross to look at your hand went you flick my nose or grab it."

His signature flared.

"Funny, huh? Your signature always gives you away when you find something about me amusing." She looked away and muttered, "Probably the only reason you're still friends with me is because you like to laugh at my existence."

He snorted and shook his head.

"I'm a mess of a person. I get it."

She was not sure why she was trying to guilt trip him. It never worked. When he decided he was not going to address something, he simply did not talk about it. The attempt was still fun, though.

Sasuke's signature started on its way toward them.

"You're both cheaters!" the boy yelled.

_I don't know if I should feel guilty that no one told him I'm a sensor type or laugh at his expense._

She signed to Itachi, _~Split up?~_

He nodded.

She turned to jump away, but he caught her arm and tapped her nose once more.

Arashi's eyebrows shot up, but before she could question him any farther he disappeared with a shunshin no jutsu.

_Is he.. what? I'm so confused right now._

"I'm not having fun anymore!" Sasuke whined.

Arashi touched her nose and tried to gather her thoughts.

_Well, um, anyway._ She pushed the confusion away, _That boy's about to have a fit._

She felt sorry for him and she needed a distraction from the confusing thoughts pressing on her mind, "Sasuke-kun!"

The boy's signature froze, "What?"

"I'll help you find your big brother. That sound alright?"

"This isn't some sort of trick, is it?" Sasuke called back. "Where are you, anyway?"

Arashi stepped out from behind the tree and closed the distance between them, "Itachi's really not fair to play games with, so I think we both need to look for him."

"You can look with me if you want," He looked up at her with his big, dark eyes and then away from her in embarrassment, "But I don't need your help."

"I'm sure you don't," she crossed her arms. "But I bet we'll make a good team."

He liked that response, "Okay. We'll act like this is a mission. Do you think we should split up?"

She hummed as she considered it, "Well, I'm just a medic ninja, so I think maybe we should stick together. You might have to look out for me if anything goes wrong. Medics are always at the most risk during a mission, you know."

His eyebrows knit together and then he nodded in understanding, "Okay. Follow me and don't get in the way."

Her cheek twitched, _Don't get in the way? Seriously, kid? No reason Naruto takes swings at you._

She brushed it off and followed behind him. If the boy was not as cute as he was, then she might have taken offense at his already over-developing ego. It was hard for her to be annoyed at something with giant eyes, spiky hair, and an attitude bigger than its body. Otherwise, she might have already punted Naruto down a street on some of his more trying days.

Arashi had a hunch the two boys were more alike than they would ever want to admit.

The kunoichi knew where Itachi was. He did not go far when they split up. It would be an easy task for her to point toward his location and send Sasuke scurrying after him, but she wanted the boy to believe that he was the one that found his brother. Not that he needed his pride stroked anymore.

_I'm betting he's the popular kid in class._

Another signature came into her range and her lips thinned into a line.

_Shisui?_

She had not seen Shisui in a while - not surprising since both he and Itachi were busy with their ANBU duties during the Chuunin Exams. He found Itachi's signature and stood near him.

_Is Itachi being summoned for a mission or something? Or are they just talking? He might need to cut this game short._ She frowned, "Sasuke-kun, did you hear that over there?" She pointed toward the two signatures.

"Yeah," the boy lied. "They have to be over there."

"Lead the way."

Sasuke quietly made his way over and paused to glance over at Arashi. Itachi and Shisui were on the other side of the tree, but she shrugged to feign ignorance. The young boy steadied his breathing and ran around it.

"Found you!"

Arashi joined the three boys.

There was something about Shisui that was grimmer than usual. He was always a little more carefree and playful than Itachi, but at that second he looked tired or perhaps worried.

She assumed it was related to a mission.

His expression shifted to a friendlier one when he saw her, "Oh? Arashi-chan? Been playing with Sasuke-kun?"

She nodded.

"Well, I'm sorry to interrupt the game, but I need to borrow Itachi for a little bit."

"Yeah, I thought it might be something like that," Arashi replied.

Sasuke pouted. Intensely.

Itachi's eyebrows knitted together in sympathy, "Sorry, Sasuke. Another time?"

"I can play with you a little longer," Arashi offered.

The boy ignored her and continued to pout at his brother.

_Of course. That kid's all about his older brother. The only reason he agreed to play with me was because it was a way to play with Itachi._ She rolled her eyes. _Not that I'm jealous that I practically don't exist to the boy or anything._

Itachi glanced at her, "Later?"

"Of course," she smiled.

"But you said you'd play with me all evening, brother," Sasuke whined.

Itachi poked his forehead and the two older Uchiha shunshin no jutsu'd away.

_Well, that was abrupt._ She looked down at the boy, "Do you want me to walk you home or anything?"

He shook his head, "No. I'll just go train or something."

"Alright. Be safe, Sasuke-kun."

Arashi spun on her heel and started on her way back.

She had a lot to work on. If she stayed the way she was, then she would be left behind by her friend. Her first goal was to ultimately help people. Being able to mend wounds and save lives was her driving motivation and nothing would ever change that, but she could not ignore her other desires. She wanted to someday walk the same path as Itachi in order to watch his back and to be of some use.

If she could manage to become a Jounin and if Fugaku kept his word, then she could do just that - if Itachi chose to leave ANBU and join the Police Force in the future. She did not see a reason why he would not. Most people in ANBU either died or retired after a certain amount of years with the organization. She hoped Itachi was the retirement type.

She did not want to imagine her life without him in it.

_Becoming a Chuunin was hard enough, but a Jounin?_

She frowned.

_That will take me years, I'm sure of it. I'm not one of those people that can shoot through the ranks._

Whether she managed to join the Police Force or not, she knew she could still pursue her dreams of being an exceptional medical ninja. Her father would see to it that no matter what she would have a place at the hospital to fill if she wanted it. That was her original plan, after all.

She touched the scarf around her neck, thoughtfully.

Being this conflicted was a new experience for her. Life was much more complicated than she liked.

_Well, I'd better get to work at getting this Chuunin thing down so I can start working toward Jounin soon. Otherwise, I'll never earn that spot on the Force._

* * *

If Naruto was asked to explain how Arashi always knew where he was, then the boy would have answered with one of his theories. Since he first met the kunoichi, he started to notice how weird it was that he could never hide from her. She always found him - faster than any other person was able to find him.

He was convinced that her ability was beyond that of jutsu.

She had to be a sage or a wizard of some sort.

Therefore, it did not surprise him when she appeared behind him at random times. She had a knack for catching him in the middle of his pranks - which forced him to hone his skills even more. He had to strike fast and discretely when she was around.

This time, however, she was not the one who found him.

Arashi was engulfed in a book. Not a text book or a piece of literature that could be considered educational. The kunoichi was reading a novel that claimed to be romance but so far had shown itself to be what it really was - smut.

She was so invested in a particular scene that she subconsciously brushed off Naruto's signature. She was sitting on a roof, taking a break from researching fuinjutsu and medical ninjutsu. He was supposed to be in class.

"Neh, Sis, when are you taking me out for ramen like you promised, you know?"

Arashi squealed and hid the book behind her back.

The boy squinted at her, "What are you reading?"

_Oh no! Change the subject!_

"Nothing!" she replied. "Anyway, ramen?"

"Yeah. You told me you'd take me out for ramen, but you've been acting weird ever since you started ignoring me, you know."

She grimaced, "I didn't start ignoring you. I got promoted to being a Chuunin and it was very hard to earn that. Besides, you were supposed to be studying really hard, too."

"I have been! Y'know! Nonstop! Like all the time!" The boy proclaimed.

She slipped the book into her medical pouch, "What about all of the classes you've been skipping?"

He crossed his arms and threw his nose up, "Yeah, whatever! I don't like any of those people!"

"Not even Iruka-san?"

"No way! Y'know, all he does is yell at me!"

She sighed, "I dunno. He seems like a pretty nice guy, y'know? He probably just gets upset because he cares about how you do in class. You should give him a break."

The boy scrunched his face up, "Whatever."

Her lips thinned into a line at him, "Well, I did say I would take you out for ramen."

Naruto's face lit up and he forgot about his distaste of his classmates and instructor.

In truth, Arashi hated ramen. Despised. She acquired a taste that loathed ramen. The smell of Ichiraku's ramen made her stomach turn - all because that boy wanted to eat there all the time.

"But first, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Too excited to care, he leaned forward with bright eyes, "Yeah? Like what? It better be quick because I'm starving, y'know!"

"You know that old lady named Chiharo that you were messing with a few days ago?"

"That old hag and her stupid cats?"

"Yeah, I just so happen to know that old hag and her stupid cats," Arashi tried to sound stern. "If you want me to treat you to ramen, then you'll come with me to her home and apologize for upsetting her."

The boy's expression soured like he just caught a whiff of pure sewage.

* * *

Naruto was not happy at all.

Arashi walked by his side through the streets on their way to Chiharo's home. The boy refused to look at her. His face was still soured and he drug his feet with every step. It was like a tantrum without kicking and screaming.

_He's my little brat, I guess._

She tried to not get frustrated at him. No matter how much she tried to be around for him, she had things that always took most of her time. She had her own family, she had studies, her project, her friends, missions, and her career to tend to. Despite her intentions to be there for the boy, she knew he was alone most of the time.

He had no friends in class, he had obvious issues with authority figures because of the lack of one in his personal life, and when he went home he was alone. She could not fix that.

Still, when Naruto looked up to the Hokage Monument and his eyes fell on the face of the Fourth Hokage, she could see the aspiration in the pools of blue.

_His hero is his father and he doesn't even realize it._

She hated that it was kept a secret from him.

Arashi ruffled his blond hair and grabbed his hand in her own. He squinted up at her like he was embarrassed she was treating him like a kid, but after a moment he walked even closer to her and the grip of his small fingers around hers was firm.

"I'm not trying to be mean to you by making you apologize," she watched him from the corner of her eye.

"Then why?" he mumbled.

"Because if you're going to be my Hokage some day, I want you to be a good person." She explained. "You have to start living to a higher standard now if you want to be someone that can lead this village."

He looked down at his feet and nodded.

"I'd expect Kazika to apologize, too, because he's my brother. You're also like my brother, y'know."

He squeezed her hand and nodded again, "But, Sis, the hag's mean."

"I know she is," Arashi laughed, "But you're going to be better than that, aren't you? You can't just respond to someone's bad attitude with an equally bad attitude. That makes you as bad as that person."

"Neh, but, Sis, y'know that doesn't make sense to me."

"It will with time. Trust me."

"I just don't want people treating me like I'm a monster or something, y'know."

She sighed, "People are really stupid, but it won't always be so bad. Just hold in there and I know you'll eventually find people that see you for who you are. Like I do!"

Her encouragement coaxed a grin out of the boy, "Okay, Sis! Let's go talk to that hag so I can eat!"

_ughh.. ramen. I don't exist in Sasuke's world, Kazika is busy practically worshipping a foreign shinobi and swinging around a very dangerous tanto, and Naruto uses me for free ramen. I feel so special._

As soon as the two of them set foot on Chiharo's property, she appeared in front of her home with a broom in hand. Her eyes were narrowed as she sized the two of them up. She waited for them to explain themselves.

Naruto looked up at Arashi with pleading eyes.

"Well, here goes, Naruto-kun," she nudged him forward.

"I'm sorry, Ha-"

Arashi cleared her throat loudly.

"I'm sorry, _Chiharo-san_ ," Naruto ground out. "I won't mess with your cats or your fish anymore."

The old woman stared him down coldly, "You'd better not, boy, or I'll feed you to them next time."

Naruto squeaked, "Eh?!"

Arashi grabbed his shoulder and steered him away, "Alright, we'll keep that in mind!"

"You've got your work cut out for you if you're trying to keep him in line, girl!" Chiharo called after her.

She had been intimidated by that old woman since her first mission. Ibiki was not far off when he said that her mind was slipping in her advanced age. She hoped that seeing the crazy in the woman's eyes would spook Naruto into understanding he should not mess with people. He was small, young, people disliked him and there was no way he would be able to tell if he was making the wrong person mad.

If someone seriously hurt him, she knew she would end up in prison.

Once they were at the end of the street and safely away from Chiharo's home, Arashi released the breath she was holding.

"Neh, Sis! So, uh, y'know, since I apologized, can I have _two_ bowls of ramen?"

"Um, yeah, but you might end up making yourself fat on all those noodles."

He looked at her like he thought it was a brilliant idea.

"But, since you did the right thing, I guess I'll let you have an extra bowl. Just don't expect me to carry you around after you're done stuffing yourself."

"Does that mean you'll carry me there?"

"Do I look like a piggyback service to you?"

* * *

"Yeah! Ichiraku's!" Naruto cheered from Arashi's back.

_I can't believe I always give in. It's those eyes of his or something._

"Okay, we're here. Slid on off and order your food."

The blond jumped off her back and scrambled onto one of the stools. Arashi slid onto one beside him and looked at the menu. If she went the rest of her life and never ate ramen again, then she would be happy.

_If I didn't bribe him, I'm sure he would never eat vegetables. Well, besides the little bit in the ramen he's obsessed with._

"You're the best sister ever!" Naruto yelled in excitement.

"Naruto-kun, use your inside voice," She poked his ribs.

He squealed and squirmed away from her.

_Now to watch him eat his own weight in noodles._

Her thoughts drifted away. The next thing on her agenda was to step up to leading a group on a mission. Nothing serious, but she wanted to try her hand at a C ranked mission. It would be very different without her sensei, Akio, or Daisuke, but she was determined to advance. Without experience, she would never grow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I am currently working on the next chapter. Work has been busy and I'm going on vacation in a couple days. Ahhh :)
> 
> Anyway, if anyone has any suggestions, criticisms, opinions, or feedback of any kind -- feel free to let me know! I adore getting feedback of any kind. Let me know what you thinks of the OCs, the fights, the plot line, etc. :)
> 
> Also, I apologize for any typos I'm sure I left in there. They're sneaky and I'm impatient. This was originally posted on fanfiction.net first and already has a little better editing than the original posts.


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